The Fine Line
by Hedwig199
Summary: It's Draco and Hermione's 7th year. They both realize there are somethings you just have to put in the past and move on. What happens when they both find the good in each other?
1. The Same Blood

A/N: Okay, Dumbly and Sirius are alive, basically, HBP never happened, but the whole recreation of the Order did. And if you read From The Very Start, this is in the same format.

"Oh, oh, hi!" Hermione yelled while walking out of the stone wall that went to the Hogwarts Express. She had just seen Harry following Ron's family to the train. They turned and realizing who it was, waved.

"Hi Hermione, you-er, I mean, you look...nice!" Ro stuttered. _'Well, I kinda was hoping you would like this,"_ Hermione thought, blushing. She was wearing her favorite dark pink tanktop. On top of it, she was wearing a beige blazer with one button in the middle. She was aoso wearing black sneaklers and blue jeans. Her bushy hair was slightly tamed.

"Hey, Hermione, how was your summer?" Harry said, hugging her.

"Oh, it was fine, thanks for writing to me!" Hermione said to the boys. They started walking ahead to join the rest of the Weasely's. Hermione saw Ginny ahead of them and ran up to her.

"Hi, Ginny," Hermione said, walking along side of her.

"Hey, Hermione , how are you, that outfit is cute!" Ginny said, looking at her new sneakers.

"Thanks, it was great!' Hermione said. _'Oh no..'_ Hermione thought as she saw Malfoy and his clique boarding the train. His platinum blond hair fell in front of his face and he was wearing a black T-Shirt, black sneakers and blue jeans. He looked around and saw her, and a malicious look crept onto his face. He was going to make his move. _'Hmf, Malfoy looks quite...well, handsome today.'_ Hermione rolled her eyes at herself. **'I can't belive you just said that! Yuck, it Malfoy we're talking about!'** She shook herself from her thoughts and tried to avoid his path while getting on the train, but failed.

"Hey, everyone, it's the Golden Trio! Mudblood, better not be scared that Weaselette doesn't take your place as the ugly girl!" Malfoy said. Pansy sherieked with laughter. Ron and Harry growled and pulled their wands on them, but Hermione didn't allow it.

"Stop it!" she hissed at them. They lowered their wands slowly and walked past them.

"Come on, let's go find a compartment.." Hermione said. They walked past Malfoy, sneering.

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Draco watched Hermione as they walked past them. _'Hmf, Her-Mudblood looks cute for once in her life...'_ Malfoy thought, but then he shook this thought out of his mind. **'What are you saying? What would Father say to that?'** a voice inside him said. He hated it when he had an internal battle.

_'She looks hot, why not go for it?'_ he thought.

**'Because you are pure, she is filth.' **

_'But she's hot,and it's our last year, who cares anymore?'_

"DRAKIEPOO!" Pansy yelled into his ear. Draco bounced in his seat, yelping. he gave an angered look and turned to her.

"What?!"

"Mudblood wants you!" Pansy said. Draco's eyes widened. _'Did I say anything out loud?'_ Draco thought. Then Pansy pointed to the door of the compatrment where Hermione stood, glaring down at him.

"Prefect's compatment, now!" she said flatly. Draco gave her the same glare and got up to follow her out. It was uncomfortable for the both of them, for there was barely any clearence between them.

"Uh, excuse me.." Draco mumbled as he tried to get past her. Hermione shifted slowly, as much as she could.

"Mh-hmm, er, sorry.." she said. He followed her out. She led him back into the compartment, and Draco was suprised to see it was empty.

"Please, take a seat," she said, gesturing. _'What is she up to..?'_ Malfoy thought, sitting down across from her. There was an akward silence. _"Well, I've got to say something..'_

"What is it, Mudblood?" Draco spat with an angry look. Hermione looked away with a slightly hurt look on her face, that then turned into anger.

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Hermione got up to leave. "You know, I just wanted to make peace so maybe I can enjoy my last year here," Hermione said. "But, like you said, I'm just a Mudblood!"

"Wait!" he said while Hermione turned to go. She gave a suprised look and turned around. "Yes?" she asked, mock sweetly.

"Hold out your hand," he said. She cautiously pulled away, then held her hand out. He took out his wand and with a tiny slashing motion across his hand, he cut himself. Hermione twitched and he took her hand and swiftly did the same.

"What are you doing?!" she asked, pulling her hand away. Draco sighed.

"I'm simply making a point," he said . He put up his hand. Hermione looked at his hand, wondering of what he was doing.

"And this proves-" she stopped and gasped when he took her small wrist into his warm, soft hands. He held them parallel to each other.

"Our blood bleeds the same, doesn't it?" he said quietly. Hermione looked up at him, eyes full of fear and wonder. _'I guess he's not the same Malfoy that he was last year...'_ she thought. She blushed when she realized how close they were sitting together.

"So I guess your not the same?" she said, and for somwe reason, her body would not let her move. Every cell in her brain was telling her to get awy from Harry's enemy, but every cell in her body was telling her to stay close to his. Draco gave a soft chuckle and small smile.

"And I can see you aren't," Draco whispered. His brain was urging to move away, but he stayed close, still holding her hand. Somehow, it felt good, it felt...right. Well, until Ron opened the door in fury.

"HERMIONE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

A/N: I am so sorry, HedwigandHermes7, if I stole this from you, but I swsar I didn't. So , do you think I should continue this, or make it an absolutely killing cliffhanger? I think that this should be a one shot, but I'm not sure. SO, PM me saying if I should or shulden't, 'kay?


	2. First Night

A/N: Yay, it a story now!

"Oh, er, I.." Hermione sprung up from her seat, holding her hand. Ron ran at Draco with his wand and pinned him against the wall.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" Ron roared. Hermione seized him by the shoulders and pulled him down to the seat behind them. Malfoy brushed himself off.

"Cool down, Weasel, Granger wanted to talk to me." Draco said nonchalantly. Ron gave her a suspicious look.

"Why do you want to talk to _him?!' _Ron asked, eyeing her carefully. She bit her lip softly, thinking of something to say.

"Um, well, I, you see.." Hermione stuttered, eyes wide and mouth open as if she were a dying fish. Draco sighed and stepped up.

"She wanted to talk about prefect duties, that's it!" Draco said coolly. Hermione looked at him. _'Why is he defending me, let alone helping me?' _ Ron calmed down and took Hermione's hand. A hurt look slowly crept onto Draco's face. _'Is he...sad?' _Hermione thought.

_'Weasel and Granger are together, but why does it...hurt me of all people?'_ he thought. Hermione politely pulled away, and the tightness in Draco's heart loosened.

"I know you woulden't do anything to hurt me," Ron said quietly, kissing her on the cheek. A flush of red went onto her face. Draco chuckled.

"Well, I see you're busy. I'll see you later, Granger?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded.

"See you." Ron took Hermione's hand as they walked to their compartment. Hermione sat next to Ron, across from Ginny. Hermione explained the whole ordeal to them.

"Ron, what did I tell you about being overpretective over Hermione?!" Ginny asked sharply, punching Ron hard on the arm.

"Well, she is my girlfriend.." Ron mumbled. Hermione rolled her eyes and thought back to the fateful day after school was over.

**_Flashback_**

_'Hi.'_

_'Hi, Ron, I can't stay on the phone long, I'm going somewhere with my mother.'_

_'Look, we need to talk. Stay on the fellytone a little longer.'_

_'Telephone, Ronald. Sure.'_

_'Well, you see, I really like you.'_

_'...Oh.'_

_'So, will you be my girlfriend?'_

_'Um, I don't know, can we talk later?'_

_'Oh, ok! That's a yes then!'_

_'No, Ron I-_' but Ron had already hung up.

**_Flashback Ends_**

Ever since then, she's never had the heart to tell him she liked him, but was strangely indifferent to being his girlfriend. All those years before when she tried to get him to come out about it,he refused and played the waiting game. Was she ready to embrace her relationship with Ron?

"Well, I know me and Gin here are happy," Harry said, taking hold of Ginny's hand.

"Oh shut up!" she said playfully, elbowing him and trying to mess up his hair. Ron watched in disgust as Harry tried to tickle her while Ginny tried to mess his hair up. Hermione look on admirably as she closed her eyes and leaned back in the seat slowly, drifting off to sleep.

**_Dream_**

_Hermione was sitting alone on a cliff, watching the ocean waves spash against the rocks. She got up and walked away to bump into a man. She stumbled back, and the man picked her up by her waist and kissed her softly, then passionately. Hermione wrapped her arms around the man , and when he put her down, she saw the face of...MALFOY?!?!_

_**Dream Ends**_

"What?" Ron asked. She looed up to see the once playful couple stopped and staring at Hermione, confused.

"What?' she asked them.

"Uh, you just screamed in your sleep." Harry said. Hermione shook her head.

"Strange dream, heh, nothing to worry about." Hermione said quickly. She looked outside to se they were almost at Hogwarts. She also realized that Harry, Ron, and Ginny had their robes on. She gasped sharply.

"I have to go!" she said, taking the bag that contained her clothes and running into the prefect's carriage. She turned after shutting the door to hear, 'OY, GRANGER, A LITTLE PRVIACY!' She turned to see Draco, his robes laid out on the seats. He was shirtless and about to unzip his jeans. Hermione's eyes widened as Draco chuckled.

"Like what you see, Granger?" Draco said. Hermione coulden't help but to survey him with her eyes. _'He is well built...'_ she thought, looking at the muscules on his chest and arms.

"Of course not!' she said sharply. She turned to leave.

"Don't want to stay for the show, Golden Trio Girl?" he asked, flexing.

"No, I don't! If I must I will wait, you little concieted ferret!" she planted herself onto the small love seat and grabbed a _Witch Weekly_ of a table flipping through it, then slamming it in disgust. She saw a paragraph about how 'Harry was nothing but a liar'. She looked up and decided to engage in conversation, but looked out the window to not make it seem she was staring at him while getting changed.

"So, what was your opinion on The Second War?" Hermione asked.

"Well, if you must know, I'm going to join the Order. Voldemort is weak, and Wonder Boy proved it. And Father is in jail.." he said quietly. This attracted Hermione's attention.

"I'm sorry," Hermione mumbled, still loking outside.

"No, it's okay, it's just...if you don't know, my Father killed my Mother after the fall of Voldemort's Death Eaters, she wanted to join the Order too...and he found out." Draco said. Hermione looked back to see he was in her dress robes already, sitting down on the seats with his head in his hands. Hermione moved towards him.

"I had no idea Malfoy, I...I'm so sorry..." she said. _"What should I do?"_ Hermione thought.

"No, it's fine. I,uh, well I'm dressed. I'll go." Draco grabbed his bag and walked out the door leaving a confused Hermione.

'_Poor Draco-er-Malfoy. How coudl his father be so cruel?"_ she thought., getting dressed. She looked out the window to see the shining lights from the castle. They had arrived.

A/N: You see, in my fanfic, HBP never happened, but, the little battle at the Ministry did. Since Sirius isn't a big part in this, he's dead...SOB...but Dumbledore isn't. Anyways, the battle weakened him, and he's gone into hiding for a long time. Harry assumes that somewhere, he was so weak, he somehow naturally dies. And apperently, Harry spent the summer looking for Horcruxes, and destroyed all of them. So Voldie is not in my fanfic, cause, well, he sucks.


	3. Sudden Feelings

"It is so good to be back!" Hermione exclaimed, walking throught the doors, into Hogwarts. Ginny walked along side her.

"But not with Malfoy around," she said, pointing toher left, where Draco and his group of friends were laughing abundantly at some joke he had probably made. He looked over and gave a warm look. Hermione did the same. Ginny loked suspiciously and smiled slyly when Hermione looked at her. "What?"

"Oh my God, you think he's hot, don't you?" Ginny said. Hermione's eyes widened.

"What?! Of course not! We...just became...acuaintences, nothing more!" she said sharply. "I have no time for silly daydreams like that!"

"Hehe, that's what you say. If I wasn't so into Harry, I would be over there in a sec," Ginny said as they took their seats. Harry and Ron were behind, talking to Seamus and Dean.

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Draco laughed himself at the joke he had just made, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy shrieking with fake laughter. Blaise Zabini, Draco's only true friend, sighed.

"It was funny!" Draco said, nudging him. Blaise looked at him.

"Not that, it's just that Weaslette is looking pretty hot this year," Blaise said, pointing to Hermione and Ginny talking.

"She's alright, I guess..." Draco said, staring at Hermione over his shoulder while sitting down.

_'Stupid Granger. with her know-it-all look, her stupid big front teeth, her dumb chocolate brown eyes, her stupid smooth legs, her ugly small curves here and there...'_ Draco looked suprised at his own thoughts. _I mean sure, Granger had flaws, but was he good enough to be friends with...him? Sexy Slytherin Royalty?'_ He noted how Ron kept putting his hand on her knee, and howe she brushed it off. Droac shook his head. '_Why am I worried about HER? She just nobody, tha'ts all...'_ But even when Dumbledore gave his head all too often heard speech, he found his thoughts on Granger all the time.

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"Ugh, look at Malfoy, how he;s staring at you like a piece of meat!" Ron said, his voice full of disgust. Harry and Ginny were already eating, but Ron was fixated.

"Look, Ron, Harry, maybe this year, you could...let off of Malfoy." Hermione said meekly. Harry hacked and coughed on his food. Ginny picked up her napkin and handed it to Harry. Even Ron was choking on his pumpkin juice.

"WHAT?!" Harry and Ron asked simultaniously.

"Well, he's been nicer to me and.." Hermione trailed off.

"He's a Death Eater, Hermione. Never want to cross his path," he said, brandishing a drumstick in his direction.

Hermione looked up angrily. "He's not a Death Eater! He's joining the Order, I know it!"

"M-Malfoy? D-Draco Malfoy?! What a joke!" Ron said, laughing. Hermione gave him a cold stare.

"It's not funny." she said flatly. Ron's laughter died instantly. Hermione thought about him while grabbing some food.

_'I feel horrible. But wait, why do I?! Maybe Ron and Harry are right, he's nothing but a jerk.'_ She turned to look at him while Ginny, Hermione, and Harry engaged in a conversation about Quidditch.

'_He's nothing but a jerk, his stupid smug demeanor,those blue-gray swirling eyes, his pale ,pentetrating stare, his ugly musceles, his soft, strong hands...ACK! WHAT AM I THINKING?! He's a Malfoy, always has been always will be. For now, I have to concentrate on N.E.W.T.S...'_ she thought, shaking her mind of thought of Malfoy. But the memory of him grabbing her hand and showing that he was no different from her replayed in her mind. She munched on her salad, thinking of anything but him and usually ended up failing. _"Why am I feeling anything about him now of all times?! he has always been a jerk , so what's changed? Maybe...I've changed?'_ Hermione asked herself.

"Well, guys, I have to go..prefect duties!" Hermione said, getting up and standing at the entrance of the Great Hall.

"Um...all first years!" she yelled. The first years' food dissapeared. With bored and sad expressions on their faces, they lined up behind her. Draco got up too with a gesture from Snape.

"First years!" he yelled. The nervous first years lined up, jumping a foot in the air everytime he barked for them.

"You don't have to be rude!" Hermione said.

He chuckled. "It's the only way to order them around. It's not power unless you abuse it."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she led the nervous first years towards the common room._ 'Why is he so mean? Why can't he just be like the rest of us?"_ Hermione wondered. Hermione introduced the common rooms and sent them off. She heard the noise from the Great Hall of students getting up.

"I better go see Harry and Ron," Hermione said aloud, walking towards the doors. She spotted them in the crowd and walked over.

"Hey," Ron and Harry said. Ginny joined Hermione at her side while they walked back to the common room.

"Why were you talking to Malfoy?" Harry asked. Hermione blinked, her eyes widening.

"We were just talking, what's the big deal?" Hermione said. She turned to the Fat Lady.

"Password?" she asked.

"Redcap." Hermione said. The door opened and all the Gryffindors piled in. Hermione sat on a single chair while Ron, Ginny and Harry sat in seperate chairs.

"Well, I don't want you talkign to him anymore!" Ron said sharply. Ginny and Hermione glared.

"Why not? I don't keep you from talking to Lavender and Paravati!" she said, pointing to the girls, who were laughing and talking on a couch in the corner of the room.

"It's different! Look, it's our first night here, can we not fight?" Ron asked. Hermione sighed.

"Fine. But I can talk to whoever I want!" she said louder.

"Why do you want to talk to him anyways?" Ron asked. Hermione grew slightly angrier.

"Be-because he's..um...we're nicer to each other, and I'd hope you would be the same way!" she said.

"He's Malfoy, Hermione. Always have been, always will be, and there's nothing to say." Ron said, also getting angry. Harry and Ginny watched their fight back and forth.

"So I don't get an opinion on this?!" she asked. Ron folded his arms.

"I guess not." Ginny gasped. "Ron!"

He turned to Ginny. "It's only fair." Harry turned to him too.

"I can see why you don't like him, but that's a bit harsh, Hermione can make a descion!"

Ron scoffed. "Why would you care, you're too busy flirting with my sister!"

Ginny rounded on him. "I have a name, Ronald Billus Weasely, I hava half a mind to tell Mum you've been being stupid on the first night!"

"Tell Mum, what do I care!"

"ENOUGH!" they heard a voice shout. They turned to see Luna Lovegood, looking angry. Her face softened back into her normal dreamy expression.

"I hate to see you guys fight. It's our first night back, why fight?" They all looked at each other and looked back.

"Luna, how'd you get in here?" Ginny asked. Luna's blank wandering ey es landed on her.

"Neville let me in. Most of the Ravenclaw's tease me first night and take my stuff." Luna said. "But anyways, why don't we all just play a game of chess or-"

"Listen,Luna," Ron said flatly. "It's none of your buisness. So go back to the Ravenclaw rooms."

"RON!" Ginny and Hermione said. Even Hermione didn't like Luna much, but Ron was being rude.

"I'm going to bed." Ron said, leaping from his seat and walking up the stone steps. Harry sighed.

"It's getting late, we should all be in bed." Hermione said. "Harry, deal with him?"

"Yeah..." Harry said. he yawned and went up the steps. Ginny and Hermione went up to the girl's room.

"Why is your brother being a jerk?" Hermione asked, changing into her pajamas.

"I don't know, he's just...nevous because of your relationship. He justr doesn't want to mess it up." Ginny said.

"Must be." Hermione mumbled, getting into her bed. "Well, i"m exhausted. Goodnight, Ginny."

"G'night." she said. She put out the candlelight on the ceiling with her wand. Hermione rested her head onto her pillow and tried to sllep, but thoughts zoomed through her mind all night.

_'I am so glad Malfoy will lay off. Dumbledore does want house unity after all,'_ Hermione thought. _'But, he's just so...there's just something about him that's so different. Why can't I see it-why am I thinking about him? GAAHH!'_ Hermione growled silently when she just kept on thinking of him._ 'I need to get this out of my system...I'll go for an evening stroll in the castle.'_ She got up and put on her robe, tip-toeing down stairs. Hermione laughed to herself. _'So this is what it's like to break the rules...without Harry or Ron!"_ Hermine coulden't help but to feel a rush as she quietly opened the portrait hole door. She looked at The Fat Lady to see she was in her chair, sleeping, as was all other portraits. She looked for signs of Filch or Mrs. Norris, but didn't see any as she walked to the Great Hall.

She sat down at the Gryffindor table, looking around. She never realized how big it was until it as empty. She looked up at the Gryffindor yellow and mahogany banners sporting the lion, rearing up on it's hind legs. _'Well, this is quite boring,"_ Hermione said, getting up. She stopped and turned slowly. _'What was-_'

Then, a strong hand wrapped around her waist. She was going to scream, but feared she would wake someone up. Hermione thrashed her arms and legs, kicking and hitting the figure. The warm body wrapped it's hand over it mouth and wrestled her slowly down under the Gyffindor table. She still kicked and screamed quietly.

"Shhh, shh," the voice said. She stopped kicking and thrashing around, for if she continued to, she would hit her head on the table and knock herself out. Hermione reached to touch the arm. It was invisible, she knew that, but it was silky, made out of fabric. Her eyes widened. _'Invisibility cloak!' _ she thought. She felt her side for her wand and mentally slapped her forhead. _'I CAN'T BELIVE I FORGOT MY WAND!' _she thought. The hand slowly loosened it's grip on her, and tilted her head up. Hermione realized what the thing was doing.

Filch and Mrs. Norris walked in the Great Hall, looking around for signs of people. Filch sighed. "They must've went back to bed, Mrs. Norris. Let's go." the cat meowed as they walked out. The figure let her go, and she could see a sillhoutte around the figure as she stood. She swiftly reached out and touched the top of it, taking the cloak off of it. She gasped...

It was Malfoy.

"Enjoying a midnight stroll, Granger?"

A/N: Cliffy, ehehe. I know I said it's D/Hr, but it's R/Hr too. MIXED FEELINGS FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	4. Head Over Heels

A/N:WOO-OO-WOO-OO-WOO-OO! I sense some D/Hr goingson in this chapter!

"What are you doing out of bed?!" Hermione said sharply, blushing at the fact that one second ago, she was in his arms.

"I could ask you the same thing, Granger. I had a feeling you would come out here. Wanna go on an adventure?"

She scoffed. "With you? Yeah, right!" He took a step towards her.

"Why is it that one minute you're friends with me, and the next I'm disgusting Ferret Malfoy?" Draco asked. Hermione averted her eyes from his blue-grayish ones.

"Because-er, well, I don't know. I guess because I'm a Gryffindor and your a Slytherin, it's not _supposed _to be like that." she said quietly.

"Ah," he said, taking another step towards her. "Well, we decided to be friends, so why not go somewhere with me? Please?"

"But I should b-be getting t-to bed," she said. "It was nice talking to you, though." Malfoy looked sad for a minute.

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"Why? Potty and Weasel waiting for you?" he spat angrily. To Draco's suprise, she didn't raise her voice.

"Please don't call my friends that." she said softly. His face softened also.

"Alright. But in order for me to do that, you have to come with me, time's wasting!" Hermione's eyes narrowed at him.

"Oh, you make a great friend! Making a deal so that you'll be nice to my friends!" she said angrily. "I'm off!" She turned to leave.

"Wait. Maybe you'll come after I say this."

Hermione looked skeptical. "Oh yeah, what?"

Malfoy inhaled sharply and slowly through his nose. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being rude to you, I'm sorry for calling you a Mudblood all those years. I'm sorry. I probably caused you alot of pain, but I'm a different man now. If associating with Gryffindors is what I have to do to prove it, I would." he said in one breath. Hermione looked flushed

"That was...thank you!" she said. For the first time, to Hermione's suprise, Draco smiled happily. His sneer was now a smile, a good-natured smile. Not a small smile that he gave in The Great Hall before or in the prefect's carridge, a smile. Hermione sighed.

"Let's go..." she said, taking his hand. Electricity shot through his handand warmed him head to toe. Hermione quickly took away her hand, blushing.

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"Why is it so cold?" she asked as he led them thorugh the corridors.

He stopped and turned. "What's cold?"

"Your hand." Draco swallowed.

"It's always cold." Draco said gravely. Hermione looked up at him concerned. She started to realize where they were going.

"Uh, I'm not sure-"

"It's fine. Take this." He handed her the invisibility cloak, wihch she put onto her. They were going to the Slytherin Rooms.

"Close your eyes and take my hand." he said. Hermione looked up at him. He rolled his eyes. "Just do it."

She nervously took his hand again. Hermione exhaled as his soft, but cold hands held onto hers and led her to the common room. He led her walking foward most of the time, unitl they go to a certain point where she felt carpet underneath her shoes.

"Walk up thirteen steps." He said, leading her slowly up the first one. Hermione was suprised that he was so gentle and graceful with his movements, making sure no part of her got hurt as they reached the last one.

"Open your eyes." he whispered. Hermione opened them to see that they were in the boy's common room. She lookd around to see Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle and a bunch of other Slytherins who's names she didn't know sleep.

"We shoulden't be here!" she hissed.

He shrugged. "Have a bit of fun, eh, Granger?" Hermione turned her head and thought.

_'Wow, his skin is so soft, and.. no, I have feelings for Ron, Malfoy's a friend, Malfoy's a friend...'_ Hermione repeated in her mind.

"What are we doing?" she said. He smiled slyly.

"You'll see." He opened his window and looked down. Hermione felt scared at that point. He took out his wnad and whispered, _'Accio Nimbus 2001.'_ His broomstick flew into his hand. Hermione felt her eyes widened as he mounted the broom.

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"I don't like flying!" she said, taking two steps back, but Draco held his hand out.

"You said you would do it. Get over your fears and have fun." She hesitantly walked towards him.

"We won't go fast, Draco?" she asked quietly. Unexpectantly, Draco's heart fluttered at the sound of his name. He smirked.

"It's Draco now?" he said. She shrugged.

"Of course not, slip of the tounge. Now, let's go flying..." She didn't know exactly how to mount the broom, but went behind him anyways. Malfoy coulden't help but to smile when she wrapped her arms around her waist.

"This'll be fun." he said as the broom levitated. Hermione felt horrible and gagged when they got outside, but somehow, she felt safe with Malfoy. They flew slowly out the window straight.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked after a couple of minutes. Draco's sigh was heard over the wind.

"You just don't quit, do you Granger? You'll. See." he said impatiently. As they picked up in speed, Hermione rested her head slightly on his back. She inhaled and they went even faster. Hermione looked down at the scenery, the Black Lake under them, and in the distance, she could see the Quidditch pitch. She yelped when they picked up speed towads the stands. He slowed down when they got closer. Hermione felt the urge to ask why they were there, but instead screamed when they went even faster.

"Be quiet!" Malfoy hissed as they got closer to the Slytherin stands. Hermione got off trhe broom when they reached a high section of the stands. Her feet wobbled as she walked from the broom ride. She put her hands on her hips as Malfoy positioned the broom against a wall.

"Why are we here?"Hermione asked, growing impatient. Draco walked over to her.

"Look." he said, pointing out towards the sky. She looked and saw nothing but darkness.

"I don't know what I'm-"

"For once in your life, Granger, would you stop talking and listen?!" Draco said angrily. Hermione bit her lip as a tear slipped down her face.

**_Flashback_**

_"Guess what else happened, Dad? Well, I met a quite nice boy named Ronald Weasely! Him and THE Harry Potter saved me from a giant troll! And then, for the first time, we won the House Cup! And did I tell you which house I'm in?!' an excited 11-year-old Hermione said. Her father put down his paper angrily._

_"Please, Hermione, can you be quiet?! I'm busy!"_

_Tears welled up in her eyes. "Fine," she said, walking upstairs crying._

**_Flashback Ends_**

****Draco grimaced at what he said. "I'm-"

"No, it's fine." Hermione said quietly. "What is it you wanted me to-" Draco put a finger on her lips and turned her. She looked out at the sky to see the full moon, being as close as ever. In the distance where ther castle was, she could see it's reflection on the Lake. Hermione and Draco leaned side by side over the railing, looking at the moon that illuminated the area they were standing in.

"Want to see something cool, Granger?" he asked. She nodded. She followed him over to the back of the stands. There was a section of the railing that extended to the far left corner. Next to it was the wall. He led her to the corner and told her to lean as much as she could over, without falling. She did so.

_"Stupefy!"_ Draco said, his wand pointing at the dark area of the back of the stands where it caved in, almost as if someone had took the other half of a room out and that was all that was left. Hermione gasped as bats flew from it, almost thousands. Draco pulled her away in time so that the bats woulden't fly into her. She looked to see how beautiful the night sky looked with the moon and the bats that flew in front of it. Her chocolate brown eyes shone against the moon, her hair glistening.

"_Her eyes are...beautiful.."_ Draco thought. Then he shook his head. **_'This is Granger, the Gryffindor Golden Girl! You can't-_**' he rolled his eyes at the voice.

_'Aw, just shut up!'_

_"_It's...beautiful up here. Thank you for taking me here, I love it." Hermione whispered. Draco sat and chuckled.

"I used to go up here every 1st night of the month, when the full moon was out. I would sit out here and think. Just about...anything." he said. hermione looked into his eyes, which were now deep and full of memories.

"Why are you so nice to me now? What cahnged?" she blurted in a rush. He looked at her.

"Because...ever since my parents both left me, I've realized that evil never pays. You may get power and riches like I have, but there's nothing else. There are some things you can't buy and command to have, you have to earn them. Like trust and respect. Everyone used to fear me, not love me. Even Pansy worships me, but she doesn't love me. No one ever has, and no one will. Before, I was proving I was worthy of Voldemort's power. But now, I have nothing to prove to anyone. No one to prove anything to. So that's why-" Draco was cut off by Hermione's gaze.

Hermione eyes glistened as she took her hand placed it on the side of his face, leaned up, and kissed him. She closed her eyes as she deepened the kiss. Draco instictively pulled her closer to him, but Hermione let go and looked flushed.

"I-I am so sorry!" she said, putting her head in her hands. "I heard you saying all that stuff and...oh!" she said. Draco just sat in shock._ 'Granger kissed me, Granger kissed me, Granger kissed me...'_ he thought. He got up.

"We should go." he said flatly. "The sun could come up any hour now."

"Right." she said as he mounted the broom. She stiffly wrapped her hands around him as they made their way back. He went faster, way faster than he had before and they reached the castle in mere minutes. Thyy climpbed therough the window, went downstairs and through the corridors until they reached the common room. Hermione saw the Fat Lady still sleeping.

"Look, I just wanted to let you know, that kiss meant nothing, so that's nothing to worry about. Absolutely nothing. You can move on with your life, and I'll move on with mine. I'll be with Ron, and you'll be with Pansy. We'll have to talk sometime, though. But it's great that we're just friends, right?" Hermione said brightly. _'Good ol' Hermione, I can fix anything!"_ she thought happily. She then realized that Draco didn't look as happy.

"Listen perfect Granger, I didn't care about any of that! I was just trying to get you in trouble by taking you out there! I was half a second from pushing you over the railing!" he hissed. Hermione looked taken aback.

"You don't...ypou can't mean that!" Hermione said. He leaned close to her face. Hermione felt waves of sadness sweep over her as she saw his eyes were welled in tears.

"Did you ever think," Malfoy hissed. "Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, that kiss...meant something to me?" he said. He turned and stormed off, leaving a confused and horribly regretful Hermione.

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He walked away , wiping his eyes. '_Malfoys don't cry, Malfoys don't cry.." _he thought as tears made their way down his face. _'I was going to tell her how I felt about her, how I feel about her, and she had to go and...forget her! I can do better than Granger! She may not be a mudblood to me anymore, but she sure as hell is a stupid Gryffindor Golden Girl, with the stupid Golden Boy, and the stupid Ginger Boy!!!!'_ he thought angrily.

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'_I always have to mess things up!'_ she thought as she sobbed into her pillow. _'I actually get Malfoy to be my friend and I-'_ she stopped and raised her head. _'Does he have feelings for me?'_

_**'Of course not, he's Malfoy!'**_

_'But he said the kiss meant something to him!'_

_**'He also said how he want to commit a homicide!'**_ Hermione's thoughts were interupted.

'Hermione?" Ginny asked sleepily, getting up. She sat on her bed. "What's wrong, I heard you crying?"

"I can't tell you, Gin, you'll hate me!" Hermione wailed quietly. Ginny hugged her.

"I'd never hate you."

Hermione looked away. "I don't think I like Ron anymore!'

"Oh, Hermione, so what if your physically attracted to Malfoy?" Ginny asked.

"I didn't even-how'd you-"

Ginny laughed. "Did you kiss him?" Hermione blushed as Ginny covered her mouth.

"You kissed him tonght? I saw two people on a broom tonight. Was that you?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Well, first, tell me everything." Hermione explained how she coulden't sleep, how Malfoy saved her, and the broom ride. She also said how she kissed him, how he didn't react and how she eventually messed it up.

"...and now he hates me!" she said. Ginny looked in shock by the timne she was done.

"Wow, he's falling hard for you." Hermione was the one shocked now.

"No way Malfoy-"

"He was falling for you, and then you said how everything was normal, so you basically crushed his heart." she said nonchalantly.

"Oh. Well, the problem is, I don't know what I feel for him."

"Tell me what you think of him, and I'll evaluate." Hermione too a breath and folded her legs on the bed.

"Malfoy is an aboslute jerk whether he's teasing first years or just bullying everyone around. But there are good things, I guess. He doesn't call me mudblood anymore. And I kinda like how he doesn't fuss with his hair in public...and the way his skin is soft and his arms are kinda strong. He's gentle and rough at the same time. He's shallow, but he's deep. Why does he make me feel everything at once, why does he make me feel like what I want to be? And that I hate looking at his eyes because I'm afraid I'll fall headfirst into them. And he's witty and everytime he touches my skin, heat waves travel through my body. Why is it that everytime I'm with him I want to run and get close? she said. She blushed as she looked Ginny, who was shaking her head and had a big smile.

"What?" she asked. Ginny took her hands.

"I don't know how to tell you this, but its been two days...and, Hermione, you're falling _head over heels_ for Malfoy."

"What?"

"And...I think he's already fallen for you."

"WHAT?!"

A/N: Not a cliffy, but hell, it's close enough. Isn't what she said sweet? Awww...I swear, I made it up. I CAN BE DEEP AND LOVEY-DOVEY!


	5. Friends?

A/N: Umm...avacado?

Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny all sat down at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. When they were seated Ron took Hermione's hands from across the table.

"Hermione, I'm sorry for the way I acted last night," Ron said. Ginny and Hermione exchanged sympathetic looks. Hermione had to tell Ron someday that she kissed Draco, or it would hang over her head forever.

"It's alright Ronald. Lets just get over it and look at our schedule," she said, pulling it out of her bag. "Okay...Yes!"

"What?" Harry asked.

She showed them the class schedule. "Well, first I have Herbology."

"Why did you choose Herbology, I thought you hated it!" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed. "You're thinking of you and Harry, Ron. I like Herbology. I chose all the classes that I think would be suitable for being an Auror, or anything else I can do in the Order.You do know I passed most of my classes with Os. For example, I have Transfiguration and Defense Against The Dark Arts afterwords, lunch, Charms, then Tranfiguration. Thank goodness that I have Potions last. Of couse I'l have Slytherins with me in that class."

"I don't know, I thought the only thing that Slytherins like is a class on how to stop their burning Dark Marks," Ron said. Harry laughed when Hermione punched Ron in the shoulder.

"Ow,Hermione!" Ron said.

"Don't you "Hermione" me, that was rude!" she said, turning back to her class schedule. _'Malfoy said he was going to ve in the Order too...oh no, he's going to be in almost all my classes then!' _ Hermione thought.

"Well, at least we'll be in most of our classes." Ron said. Ginny sighed.

"But then I'll be seeing less of you guys..." Ginny said. Hermione put her arm over her shoulder.

"Gin, we'll hang out every single day after classes. Well, not on the days I have to study for a test." Hermione said. Ron, Ginny and Harry all laughed.

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"So, I heard that two people were on a broom last night," Blaise said. "Was that you and a special someone?"

Draco gave a bored look. "I tricked granger into going out there. And I was going to push her over the stands, but-"

"Even I know that you're not like that anymore. What really happened?"

Draco leaned closer to him. "Okay, well,-"

"DRAKIEPOOOOOO!" Panst screeched from the entrance of the hall. Draco turned beet red as Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and most of all, the Gryffindors laughed.

"What is it Pansy?" Draco asked. She ran and leaped into his lap. He looked across the room to see Harry and Ron laughing, clapping their hands together at the spectacle. The teachers didn't seem to notice or simply didn't care, because the laughter wasn't loud.

"Aww, Drakiepoo, you have no idea how much I missed you..." Pansy said, planting huge red marks on his face from the deep rouge lipstick she wore. Draco looked over and saw Hermione looking borde, crossing her legs and reading her book, paying absolutely no attention to him. Unwillingly, tears burned his eyelids. Draco forced them back and tried not to think of the last night as Pansy still sat on his lap and hugged him closely.

_'**You don't care about Granger anymore!'**_

Draco sighed. _' No matter how much I deny it, I think I will always still care about Granger.'_

_**'But she doesn't care about you! She's with Weasel!'**_

_'Yeah, and look at **what **I'm with.'_

_**'True. But you need to get over her. She's a Mudblood.'**_

_'She's not a mudblood. But you're right, I won't care about her anymore!"_

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To the Hall's dismay, the food dissapeared and Hermione with her friends go up and began to pile out of the Hall.

"Look, I'll show you. Malfoy is no longer mean to me, we have a mutual understanding." Hermione said. Ron and Harry exchangd skeptical looks and snorted. Hermione walked up to him akwardly.

"Hello, Malfoy. How are you today?" She said. Pansy Parkinson, MIllicent Bulstrode, and Daphne Greengrass all shrieked with laughter.

"Granger, why are you talking to me? Shoulden't you be with the Golden Boys over there?" Draco pointed to a fumign Harry and Ron.

"I-I- thought w-we-"

"Hardly, Granger. Don't even say it. Potty and Weasel need you, dont; they? I know Weasel needs you th most," Draco said, walking away. She walked back to Harry and Ron, biting her lip.

"I-you see, it's only-"

"Save it Hermione. Always has been a Death Eater, always will be."Ron said. He felt slight remorse when they saw tears well up in her eyes and that she bit her lip so hard it began to bleed.

"Hermione," Ron said, stepping towards her. "I didn't mean to-"

"I have to go to class!" She ran away, leaving a dumbfounded Ron and Harry. Tears fell from her eyes and past her face as she ran down the corridor.

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Draco felt somone bump into him as Hermione ran past. He could see that she was crying. She turned in a direction that led outside to the greenhouses.

"What a hosebag, huh?" Pansy joked.

"More like a windbag!" Pansy's friends shrieked with laughter again. (A/N: In case you didn't know, a windbag is a name for someone who can't stop talking.)

Draco's eyes narowed, but then remembered what he promised himself. "Yeah," he said,laughing half-heartedly.

Draco walked outside to the greenhouses with Pansy. He saw that he was late.

"Malfoy you are late. Since it is the first day of classes, your tardiness will be tolerated. Please grab a stool sit to Miss Granger." Draco felt bad at the pained look on Hermione's face when she heard he was going to be working next to Hermione. He looked to see an assortment of Ravenclaws, Gryffindors and Slytherins. '_Not many friends for Granger,'_ Draco thought. He pulled up a stool.

"Today, we will cath Who can tell me the difference between a Flutterbloom and Devil's Snare?" Proffesor Sprout asked.

"Oh, ooh!" Hermione's hand shot into the air. Draco rolled his eyes at her eagerness.

"Yes, Ms. Granger?" she asked.

Hermione cleared her thoat. "Flutterblooms look significantly like Devil's Snare, but are harmless. Devil's Snare is deadly." '_Only I would know,_' Hermione thought, remembering her first year.

"Correct! 20 points for Gryffindor!" Hermione smiled brightly. Draco looked over at her. Hermione noticed and glared coldly at him.

"What's your problem, Granger?" Draco whispered. She looked at him sharply.

"I don't have a problem. My only problem is you, you bouncy ferret! Why don't you talk to you master, Parkinson?!" she hissed. Malfoy felt a slight pain in his heart, but dismissed it.

"And what happens when you ingest the leaves of an Alihoty?" Proffesor Sprout asked. Suprisingly, Pansy raised her hand after Hermione did.

"Yes, Parkinson?"

Pansy and Daphne tried not to snigger. "If you do, you become bloated and fat like Granger!" The Slytherins girls laughed.Draco felt smypathy when he saw Hermione turn her head try to blink away the tears as she kept her hand raised.

"Parkinson and Greengrass! 20 from Slytherin! Yes, Granger?"

"Um, it c-causes hystria when eaten..." Hermione said, trailing off. Draco didn't exactly know how to react to the remark.

_'There was a time in my life when I felt that lonely. Maybe I should talk to her.'_

_**'You said you didn't care anymore...'**_

_'Well, I do! She can call me 'ferret' all she wants, I care!'_

Class was nearly over when Hermione raised her hand.

"May I be excused to the lavatories?" Hermione asked in small voice.

"Of course, Miss Granger." Hermione got off her stool, took her books and walked away.

Pansy and Daphne laughed and Draco heard what Pansy said afterwards. "She said 'lavatories.' Maybe she's a girl and a guy!" They laughed even harder.

"Stop that now, Parkinson!" Draco barked. the laughter stopped immediately. Pansy gave his a confused look. Draco just glared back.

"Uh, can I go to the bathroom, Proffesor?" Draco asked, raising his hand.

"Yes, you too, Mr. Malfoy," she said. Draco immediately go up and walked out of the greenhouse with his books, through the campus and inside where he saw her close to the doors, sobbing. She was against the wall, on the floor and he can't help but to feel bad. He walked up to her and poked her shoulder. "Hey."

She instantly hit his hand. Her head was still buried in her knees. "Go away, Malfoy." Draco rubbed his hand.

"Granger? Look, I'm sorry for what I did earlier. But, you seem so selfish! You didn't even think of my feelings from last night." he said, sitting down next to her. She lifted her head to reveal her hair frizzed, her eyes watery and red, and her lips quivering. Draco didn't know what came over him, but he immediately enveloped her into a hug. He squeezed her tightly and felt her arms reach around his back too. Hermione cried into his shoulder.

"I-I don't know w-why people hate me!" she wailed into his shoulder. Draco could detect her scent. _'She smells like vanilla. Freaky.'_

"It's okay..."he said. She let go and wiped her eyes.

"Thank you." she said. "Really. I've wanted to cry for the past two days, and I kept thinking I had everything under control."

"You can't always have everything under control. You can't tackle everything at once. You just have to take it day by day, okay?"

She nodded. "Uh-huh. Thanks. You're a great friend, I'm suprised."

Draco gritted his teeth. _'Yeah, we're great friends...'_

"And I'm sorry if I was being insensitive last night. Um, I don't know how to say this, but I like talking to you."

"It's fine. I wasn't really going to-"

"I know. Ugh, I must look horrible with my hair frizzy, I try to tame it, but maybe it's because I'm stressed. And my eyes are red and-"

"You look okay...but hey, that's me."

"And I can't help but add," Draco said, trying to flip his hair, "How incredibly sexy I look today."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, people are coming, we better go now."

"Right. We both have Defense Against The Dark Arts. let's go...together, if you don't mind?" Draco asked. She looked hesistant, but said sure. People looked at the two walking down the hallway strangely. She spotted Ron and Harrty and knew what was coming next.

"Hi, Her..." Harry started, but then saw Draco standing next to her.

"Potter," Draco said. Harry stared, confused, as did Ron.

"Malfoy," Ron spat. "What did you do-"

"Honestly, Ron, does he always _have _to have done something to me,and not for me?" Hermione huffed.

"Well-I-er.." Ron coulden't find a way to respond.

"Come on, let's all go to Defense Against The Dark Arts, okay?" she asked. They all nodded and walked there in silence.

"Okay, what's going on?!" Ron asked Hermione angrily when they arrived in the dusty classroom.

"Weasley, me and Granger are friends now." Ron snorted and looked at Harry, obviously skeptical.

"Uh, well, Hermione, are you sure he can be trusted?" Harry asked.

"Potter, 'he' is standing right here!" Malfoy said. Harry turned to him and surveyed him suspiciously.

"Are you really joining the Order?" Harry asked Draco, eyes narrowed.

"For the last time, yes! I want to take down Voldemoert and take a look at this," He pulled up his sleeve on his right arm to show bare skin. "No Dark Mark!"

"So, how long did you have to be in St. Mungo's to get rid of it, huh?" Ron asked. Draco glared at him.

"Look Weasel, if you have a problem with me, take it up with Granger!" Ron looked at Hermione.

"Why do you want to-"

"Because he actually cares about my feelings and he's a good friend!" she yelled. Poeple looked and Hermione turned and blushed at how loud she was.

"I care about you!" Ron said angrily, but Harry just walked up to Draco

"If you do anything to hurt her, I'll kill you. But Hermione trusts you..." he said, holding out his hand. Malfoy looked down at it and shook it to Ron's dibelief.

"What? Harry, you're my best mate!" Ron said.

Harry turned to him. "It's not like we're not anymore." Ron folded his arms.

"Fine. But I'm not touching his hand." They all took their seats. There we're new tables in the room, which were strangely circular. Draco, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all sat at one. The class sighed when they saw Proffesor Binns; the new DADA teacher hadn't arrived yet. As he droned on about the subject on what they learned last year, Hermione decided to take time off for herself. like Draco had said, she coulden't take everything at once. She averted her attention to something else; it was nothing new he was talking about anyways.

"Tell me if Ferret Boy makes a move on you, okay?" Ron said, kissing Hermione on the cheek. Hermione smiled. She liked it when he kissed her, but it felt empty compared to...when Draco did. _'**No, shake that out of your head!'**_ she thought.

_'But what if Gin's right?'_

_What if I'm falling for Malfoy?'_

A/N: Wow, almost a chapter for each day! I'm on a roll!


	6. Invite To Dinner

A/N: _This is the key that makes us wind up_...wait..._So don't you ever for a second get to thinkin' you're irreplaceable..._wait..._LADY MARMALADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_...Sorry.

Hermione rubbed her head and tried to focus on the recap of last year ,but thoughts on Draco invaded her mind. She looked across the table too see him with a serious, focused look on his face, even though he wasn't concentrating on Binns. He seemed oddly interested with something across the room. _'I can't help but to admit he looks handsome when he's focused...'_ Hermione thought. She gave a small smile, then, frustated about her feelings, frowned.

_"_Hermione? What's wrong?" Ron asked lazily, picking up his head.

Hermione sighed. "I have a lot on my mind, Ron."

"Don't let the pressure get to you, that's what I do." Ron said. _'Yeah, and maybe I'll get the same test results as you.'_ Hermione thought, rolling her eyes. Before they knew it, students were filing out.

"What? Class is over?" Draco asked, looking around.

Ron smirked. "If maybe you were paying attention, Malfoy, you would have remembered al 1st hour proffesors said that our day's been cut short, that all our classes are a half hour shorter because it's our first day back."

Hemione saw a glint in Draco's eyes. She knew what was coming next and held her breath.

"I'm sorry, Weasley, I would have heard it if I wasn't busy comforting your girlfriend. What a great boyfriend you are, huh?" Draco said. Ron's ears turned red as he pulled his wand onto him.

"Don't you ever go near her, Malfoy!" he said, forcing his wand hard into his neck, mamnging to back him up against the wall. (A/N: How many times is he going to do that?)

"Stop it, Ron, don't hurt him!" Hermione said.

"Ron, let him go already." Harry said.

"Why shoulden't I?!" he said through gritted teeth. Harry seized his by the shoulders while glaring at Malfoy and tried pulling his back, but he woulden't budge.

"Because you're acting like a freakin' psycho!" Draco said, trying to breath. Ron gave one last glare, then let him go.

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"So, giving up, Weasely? Granger, why were you interested in him again?" Ron growled and turned back around, a fist raised. Malfoy was shocked, for what happened next happened quickly. He closed his eyes to take the punch, heard a blow, a scream, but didn't feel anything. When he opened his eyes, Ron stood with a slightly bloody knuckles. Harry and Ron stood staring in shock at the ground, and Malfopy look to see Hermione slumped on his feet. Draco's eyes widened in realization.

_'Granger took the punch for me. Granger...saved me.'_

_"_Ron...what have you done?!" Harry exclaimed. But Ron just stared, his mouth opened wide.

McGonagall walked into the room, saw what had happened and took immediate action, walking briskly.

"What is going on here? I heard a scream!" McGonagall said, but then noticed Hermione on the ground. McGonagall leaned down next to her, then looked up to Harry.

"Tell Poppy Pomfrey were coming." Harry nodded and ran. Draco coulden't do anything but look down in realization, the same thought repeated in her mind.

_'Granger took the punch for me. Granger saved me. Granger took the punch for me. Granger saved me. Granger took the punch for me. Granger saved me. Granger took the punch for me...'_

Hermione eyes were closed. She was in a sitting postion, slumping to the right.

"Mr. Malfoy, you're going to have to move." Draco was snapped back into reality.

"Oh, yeah, ok." Draco said, moving. Ron was in a chair, shaking his head is disbelief that he had just punched his girlfriend. Draco held his breath when Hermione's eyes snapped back open.

"Wha.." she said, trying to talk. She slowly got up with the help of McGonagall. Draco would never forget the look of Hermione's face when she got up. Her left cheek was covered in blood. Hermione looked over at Ron.

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"Ron...are you okay?" But Ron was almost in a comatose state, staring.

He shook his head. "Hermione , I am so sorry." _'What is he talking about? I'm fine!'_

"Do you remember anything, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked. Hermione shook her head. She looked at Draco, who was also staring.

"Your face...dear, girl, we must get you to the Hospital Wing!" McGonagall said, taking her arm.

"I'm fine." Hermione said. Ron and McGonagall looked at each other.

"Mr Weasley, we need to go down to the Hospital Wing, Potter's probably waiting, Mr. Malfoy, watch Miss Granger." she said briskly.

"I'll stay!' Ron said. Malfoy rolled his eyes. Hermione looked confused and sat down at a chair, looking as if he was trying to remember something.

"This isn't optional, Mr. Weasley. Let's go!" she said sharply. Draco watched helplessly as they walked out, leaving him and Hermione alone. He walked up to her.

"Granger, you've been punched. By Weasley. You stepped in when he punched me and-" He choked on is words,not being able to get the rest out. "Granger, why did you do that?"

"What are you..." she started. Hermione felt a throbbing in her left cheek. She put her hand up to feel it and loked at her hand. She didn't even hear Draco's pleads to go to the Hospital Wing. She saw blood, deep red blood that dripped off of her face. Her mind went blank.

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Hermione woke up in a hospital bed. She lifted her head, looking around. Her mind was fuzzy on details, but saw a cup of water on her nightstand. She tok a sip and everything cleared instantly. She shook her head.

_'Must be some sort of short-term memory reviver..' _Hermione thought, getting ut of bed and looking into a nearby mirror. There was a smal bandage taped to her cheek. It throbbed with small amount of pain.

"I was hoping you were up." she heard a voice said. She turned around to see Ginny walking towards her. Hermione walked, then almost ran to Ginny, hugging her.

"Did I pass out after Ron punched me?"Hermione asked. Ginny looked outraged.

"RON PUNCHED YOU?! WHAT THE HELL?!" Ginny exclaimed. Hermione shushed her.

"No, you see.." she explained everything up to her blackout.

"Ohh, that's why-" But Ginny stopped.

"Why what?' Hermione asked. Ginny looked over to the side.

"When I was going to the lavatories, I saw Draco running," Ginny said.

"So what?"

"He was carrying you." Hermione's eyes widened._'Malfoy...carrying me to the Hospital Wing?'_

"Oh. Well, I have to thank him for that, then."Hermione said, turning her head and blushing. Ginny gave that signature sly smile.

"What a sweet thing to do.." Ginny said, circuling her like an animal's prey.

"It means nothing, Ginny," Hermione said with a small sigh. Ginny waved her finger.

"Ah, ah, it means something, Hermione Jane Granger, it means something..." she said. Hermione just gave a her a lame look and sat back down at her bed. She looked over at her nightstand, wher a card sat.

"What's that?" Ginny asked, sitting down next to her. Hermione shrigged and opened it and it said:

**_Hermione Granger_**

_**You have been invited to dinner at 7:00. I will be in the last classroom in the 7th floor. if you are not there before 7:10, I will have accepted the fact that you have declined.----A Undeniablebly Secret Admirer**_

****"Wow..I...Ron must feel horrible. but, God, why did he have to resort to violence?!' she said angrily.

"I would know, living with a bunch of hormonal boys...maybe it's Malfoy." Ginny said.

"It's not him,it's...so, do you think I should go or not?" She asked sharply. Ginny shrugged.

"Let's say you go, and it's Malfoy. That's an offical date, which means.."

"Which means I'm cheating on Ron. Oh, Ginny, what will I do?" Hermione said.

"Well, first things first. Do you have feelings for Malfoy?"

"Yes." Hermione blurted. She covered her mouth. "No." she said on her usual buisness-like manner.

"Hermione, tell me what you feel deep inside. Here, take a sip of water." Ginny said, pouring her a cup of water from a nightstand. Hermione sipped it.

"So, what do you think of Malfoy?"

"Oh, he's handsome, so very handsome. And smart, can't deny that. He's really nice now too." Hermione said again. She covered her mouth.

"GINERVRA MOLLY WEASLEY, DID YOU PUT VERITASERUM IN MY WATER?!" she yelled. Ginny giggled and took a vial of clear potion out.

"Snape better watch his desk when he's claening the boards.." she muttered. She turned to an outraged Hermione.

"How much did you put?!"

"Just enough so that you would tell me the truth about that one thing. I made this Veritaserum, we we're making some in Potions. I poured two vials, then accidently put both on the desk, and managed to get one back." Ginny said.

"Getting back to the subject. So we've established that you have feelings for Malfoy. The next step is to-"

"Oh no!" Hermione looked at the clock to see it was 7:05. "Gin, I have to go!" Hermione put the water down and ran. She ran from the room and saw that the corridors were mostly empty. She ran down to the 7th floor on the moving staircases, having to stop several times because of the movements. When she reached the last empty classroom, she opened the door.

There was a single table with a table cloth on it, plates with covers on them. There was candlelights in the middle of the table and flowers. She looked around. There was a smal sofa also. She walked in.

"Hello?" she asked quietly. She turned around to see Malfoy. He was wearing Slytherin robes and stood there with his back turned in silence.

"Uh...Malfoy?" she said louder. He was startled and turned around.

"Granger, take a seat." He said. He pulled up a chair for her which she hesistantly sat in and looked at him from across the table.

"Uh, what are we doing?" she asked.

"You took a punch for me, so I made you dinner." Malfoy said simply.

"Oh, that? That was nothing, really." Hermione said.

Draco sighed. "It wasn't just nothing. It's the first time anypne's ever sacrificed themselves for my sake. I am forever in your debt."

"It wasn't-"

"Your face was covered in blood, and you didn't even realize it. Thank you." Draco said, taking the cover from his and her food. Hermione looked down to see a slice of baked lasgana. She looked at their goblets and took a sip. It was white zinfandel. (A/N: It's a type of wine, and it seriously tastes good.) She took her fork and knife and cut a piece off, putting it in her mouth. She had lasagna at home, but not if it wasnt a T.V Dinner. She thought it tasted delicious. She wiped her mouth and looked up at Malfoy, who was enjoying it just as well.

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"Malfoy, this is delicious, you made this?" Hermione asked after taking another bite.

"I can cook, after all." Draco said in his normal smug demeanor. "I heard it comes with being absolutely and deftly sexy."

Draco was suprised when she didn't roll her eyes. "Why do you do that?' she asked.

"Do what?"

"Say," Hermione did a well imitation of him, putting her hands through her hair. "I am so incredibly sexy, my sexy is sexy."

Draco laughed. "I don't know. You can't say that I'm not a little handsome."

Hermione blushed. "Yeah...maybe..a little.." she murmured. Draco smiled.

"I knew it!"

"Whatever. I guess you have nothig to say about..me?"

"Well,I guess you're cute for a brave-hearted, all up and mighty Gryffindor. Honestly, this is you," Draco tried doing an imperssion of her. "I'm brave and smart! I get all Outstandings, but that's not good enough!" He looked back at her who had a saddened look on her face.

"I didn't know I acted like such a nerd." Hermione said, finishing her food and moving to the sofa. Draco got up and sat down next to her.

"Hey, Granger, I was just joking, really, you're not a nerd." He said. She looked up at him.

"Why were you mean to mean all those years?" Hermione asked.

"Uh, what?"

"You heard me."

"This is going to sound stupid but...I was kinda jealous of you. You got such good grades and you were a Gryffindor and a.." He gulped.

"Muggleborn."

"Exactly. And I always thought that if a Muggleborn could get good grades, why aren't I? Anyways, you and Potter and Weasley were all such close friends wityh such loving relatives and parents and the only thing I had going for me was the fact that I was born into a...fully..." Draco pondered on the words to use.

"Born into a family of wizards."

"Right. So, you can see why. And I've changed, I guess." Draco shrugged and looked at Hermione, who's eyes were watery and was looking straightfoward, tryin not to look at him. She looked like she was trying her hardest to keep everything in. She turned to him.

"Granger, what-"

"Malfoy, what would you say if I said.." she whispered. He leaned closer.

"What?" He asked quietly. Draco could feel a bunch of emotions rising up from him, emotions he pushed down like usual.

"If I liked you?" Hermione's face was now a coule inches away from his.

"Then I'd have to say that I liked you too." he whispered. "What would you do to that?"

"I'd do this." She leaned up and kissed him on the lips. She put her hand on the back of his neck and deepened the kiss while Draco put an arm around her waist. The kiss seemed to last a couple of minutes or seconds to Draco.

She let go. His arm was stil around her waist, holding her close. Draco shivered as Hermione's warm breath blew past his cheek. Draco wasn't sure what she was going to say next.

"And this time, I sure as hell meant it."

A/N: Oooh, steamy chapter! What do you guys think? I didn't want to make this fluffy, like the last couple of chapters, I had to make one that was...hot, the type that would _fry _fluff. Hehe...if you thought this chapter was hot, tell me. I need to know for future refrernece 'cause I don't want to slip back into a that fluff depression. Whatever.----The Werewolf Fomerly Know As Moony..Who Doesn't Have Hair Like Prince-----

And by the way, have a Harry Christmas(which HedwigandHermes7 came up with acutally) a happy last night of Hanukkah, a happy Ramadan(tommorow, I think)...uhh, and a Happy Kwanzaa. I know there are many, many more,but hell, I ain't getting sued.


	7. Promises Kept

A/N: Review, my followers, review!

Her first thought was, _'I have to tell Ginny.'_

Her second made her frown. _'I have to tell Ron.'_

"What's the matter?" Draco asked. Hermione shrugged.

"I can't do this, Draco, I can't." Draco had a sad look on his face. Hermione lowered her head, but Draco put his hand under her chin, lifting her head up.

"Come on, it'll be okay. You'll just have to tell Weasley, that's all." Hermione sighed. Draco took her hand and held it, and Hermione felt a little better.

"But that's just it. I don't know what this means at all. I like you, I really do, but-he-I-I just-" Hermione coulden't take it. She broke down into a pile of sobs. She slid down onto the floor.

"Hey, hey.." Draco said, getting down next to her. He put an arm around her and craned his head to see her face. Hermione looked up, faintly seeing his blue-gray eyes, but it was mostly a blur.

"I really can't do this!" Hermione sobbed out, grabbing her bag as she ran out the door.

"Wait!" But Hermione was already gone. Draco groaned and put his head back onto the seat of the couch.

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_' I can't belive I just did that, I mean, of course I meant the kiss, but, Ron means so much to me..'_ Hermione thought as she ran to the common room, which wasn't far away. (A/N: the Gryffindor common room is on the 7th floor, in case you didn't know.)

She said the password and walked in. Her lungs froze and she stopped breathing when she saw Ron sitting on the chair in fromt of the fireplace, staring coldly. The only thing she could think was, _'He knows. He knows. he knows.'_

Ron walked slowly over to her, the cold stare making her head and heart hurt.

_'He knows, he knows, he knows.'_

Ron stood there, the cold stare intensifing.

_'He knows, he knows, he knows.'_

"I'm so sorry!"

_'He knows, he knows, he -what?!'_

_"_What?"

Ron hugged her. "I'm sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry that I punched you." Hermione stood in silent shock, shaking her head. Ron stared at her with eyes begging for an answer.

"Well?! Hermione, don't do this. Get mad, chew on me and spit me out, don't give me the silent treatment, I'm sorry!" Ron pleaded.

"Oh," Hemrione said, trying to pretend to be in her bossy manner. "Yes-er- Ronald, I am horribly mad at you. How could you-er-resort to violence?!"

"I'm sorry, 'Mione. You've got to belive me!" Ron said. She looked up and saw Harry walking down, still in his robes.

"Harry, what're you-" but Harry flung to her and hugged her, squeezing her tightly.

"Are you okay?" Hermione took notice of the bandage on her face. She touched it and winced slightly, remembering the blow.

"Yes, I'm fine, I just...it's fine." Hermione said. "Why aren't you in your pajamas?"

"We stayed up, waiting for you." Harry said. "Madame Pomfrey woulden't let us in the Hospital Wing."

"Oh, thank you, I think." Hermione said. Ron went back to sitting on the chair, watching the fire. Harry got close to her, and whispered in her ear.

"Ron almost didn't want to take a shower tonight, he was scared you would wake up and he woulden't be able to apologize. I almost had to force him into boy's bathroom!" Hermione laughed quietly and joined Ron on the couch.

Harry smiled and yawned. "Ron, I stayed up last night, so I'm off." He walked upstairs, leaving Ron and Hermione on the couch.

"So, are you sure you're-"

"You can't protect me from everything, Ron."

Ron laughed. "Right. Why did you step in for him?"

"You mean Malfoy?"

"Yeah, sure. Back to the point, why did you defend him? Four years ago, you werre the one slapping him!"

"Things are different now, Ron. He's changed, I've changed." There was an akward long silence. Hermione stared into the fire.

"Is it true?"

Hermione froze, the relaxed slightly and trurned to him. "What's true?" she said, rigid as a board.

"That-That he was comforting you." Hermione held her breath again and felt her insides turn rigid.

"W-Well, you see, Ron, he did indeed, uh, comfort me." Ron didn't look mad, but looked suspicious.

"Why?"

"Because he's nicer to me and you're not in Herbology with me." Hermione replied carefully, shifting in her seat.

"Ok." Ron said slowly.

"Ok what?"

"Why did he comfort you??"

"Because Ronald, I was sad!" Hermione replied coldly.

"Right. I'm sorry, but I just don't trust the guy. He still seems like the snake in the grass he was before." Ron said softly, putting an arm on Hermione. She felt sad to admit she didn't feel as excited and burned then when Draco put her arm on her.

"No, it's fine. You have reasons not to trust him, and I do." Hermione said.

"Heh. Well, it's getting late, let's go to bed already. I think Ginny is seeing one of her friends in another common room."

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(Ginny's POV, I guess.)

Harry exhaled and smiled at Ginny, as she smiled back. While Ron and Hermione talked, Ginny had the invisibility cloak over her and followed him up. They had been sitting on his bed, talking and laughing quietly, maing sure they don't wake up the others.

"It's fun hanging out with you, Harry." Ginny said. Harry leaned closer and took her hand.

"It's even more fun when you have a girlfriend." Harry said before kissing her deeply. Ginny put her arms around his shoulders.

"Especially when this boyfriend is a good kisser!" Ginny said, giggling. "I'm thirsty." Hypnotized by Harry's green eyes full of passion, she pulled large vials out of her pocket.

What are those?" Harry asked.

"I had some vials left from Potions, so I filled a bunch with water. I was pretty bored and wanted to brush up on the Water Charm before I visited Hermione." Ginny thought she shoulden't tell Harry about the Veritaserum.

"Oh. Well, can I have one?" Harry conjured two goblets and used all the vials to fill them, but Ginny didn't seem to notice. Harry raised his.

"Let's toast."

"To what?"

"To love," Harry said. Ginny gasped quietly.

"Love?" she asked, with hope in her eyes.

"Mmhmm, love." Harry said softly, taking her hand again.

"To love!' she said brightly, clanking their goblets together. Ginny sipped from her goblet, smiling. Harry returned the smile and also drank from his. He squeezed her hand as he kissed her again. Ginny loved it when Harry kissed and hugged her, her body burned and fizzed with excitment. Her hands felt hot and her lips smooth.

"What happened when you visited Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Oh, she was trying to sort out her feelings for Ron and-" Ginny slapped a hand over her mouth. Harry chuckled nervously.

"I'm not sure you could have told me that, but..Ginny?" Ginny's hand was still over her mouth, and her thoughts were penatrating. _'I think I took Veritaserum. I think I took Veritaserum.'_

_"_I tihnk I took Veritaserum!" Ginny exclaimed.

"What?" Harry asked, alarmed. Ginny explained the ordeal of the vials.

"Oh no! What do we do?" Ginny asked.

"We are not going to Snape..." Harry said, trailing off. "But it'sno big deal, it's not like you keep anything from me anyways, right?"

Ginny laughed loudly, obviosly nervous. "Yeah, yeah...nothing. Acutally I do." Ginny felt her hands evelope her mouth again.

"Ginny, you're keeping something from me? Hmf, you make a great girlfriend!"

"Yes. Hermione told me and I...what?!" Harry's eyes widened as did Ginny's.

"Um, Harry?"

"Yes?" he croaked.

"I think you...you took it too." Harry gulped in realization.

"How do we find out?"

"Do you love me?"

"Yes. I-mean-er-it's not that-you-"

"I love you too." Ginny and Harry both blushed, only Harry was the one to babble.

"Getting back to the point," Ginny said, her face still flushed. "What do we do? I can possibly telly you about how Malfoy and Hermione-" she covered her mouth again.

"WHAT?!" Harry asked, his eyes full of anger.

"No, Harry, I can't tell you."

"Ginny," he said, taking her hands. "You can trust me."

She put her fingertips on the side of his face. "And I do. But whatever 'Mione tells me is a secret."

"Ok, but I can just ask you..."

"Harry!"

Harry grinned."Sorry. Please tell me?"

"NO HARRY!" Harry rolled his eyes and in frustration, laid back on his bed.

Ginny sighed. "Harry, I'll tell you. But no one, especially Ron can know. And you can't do anything about it!"

'Ok." Ginny explained everything to him. When she was done, Harry looked mad, angrier than ever.

"HOW DARE-" Harry started.

"Harry, it's not Malfoy's fault!" Ginny pleaded.

"No, it's Hermione's fault! She's going out with Ron and she cheated on him with Malfoy!" he hissed.

"But, Harry, what if you had feelings for me and Cho when you were with Cho? Would you have at least somehow persued the idea of being with me?" Harry sighed.

"I guess. But she-'

"She's going to tell Ron, she just isn't ready."

"Thanks for telling me, Gin."

Ginny ruffled his hair. "No problem, Bedhead." She looked at her watch.

"It's getting late. I should go." Ginny said, but Harry wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her into a kiss. When he let go, Ginny kissed the back of his cheek.

"Night, Harry." Shre said, winking and leaving the room. Harry sighed and laid back on his bed again, feeling the part of his cheek near his ear. He grinned when Ron came in silently.

"Hey." Ron said, looking dreamy.

"What?" Harry asked, sitting up.

Ron folded his arms. "Well let's just say that I'm sure for her feelings for me. She kissed me." Harry grinned, thinking of late nights with Ginny.

"Good for you, but I woulden't be sure about her feelings for you. You see," And uncontrollably, Harry spilled everything.

"WHAT?! YOU! HOW DID GINNY-HERMIONE WOULD NEVER-" And Ron went on, ranting wildly into the night, with Harry feeling horrible on the inside because of the promise he had made Ginny.

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"Hey Ginny." Hermione said when she sat down on her bed. Ginny took one long look at Hermione and felt as if she was about to puke.

"Where were you? Were you with Harry?' but Ginny was silent.

"I...I." Ginny said, her eyes lowered and dark. "I told Harry. Everything." She told her about the Veritaserum mix-up.

"Gin, you must feel horrible.." Hermione said, hugging her.

"I do. But I'm worried about you! What if Harry can't control it? What if he tells Ron everything?"

"Let's not think of the possibilities and go to sleep." She pulled the covers pver her head. Ginny narrowed her eyes, lifting the covers.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Hermione got up and explained her "date" with Draco.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione. Everything is so messed up now. You're right, it's late." Ginny climbed into her bed and Hermione laid in hers, thinking until she floated to sleep.

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Hermione stopped to stretch. She woke up about an hour earlier to study, like she did almost every weekend. She felt so relived that is was Saturday, the confusion of the day before bothered her. Now, she could spend the whole day relazing in the library. As she walked, she thought of Draco.

_'Malfoy sneers and snarls, but there's something soft about him. But I've made my choice.'_ Hermione steathily opened the door and almost passed out. Ron was sitting not two tables away. She smiled nervously at him, but he stared coldly that sent chills down her neck and to her back. She sat down at a chair, next to him.

"What are you doing up?" Hermione asked nervously. Ron stared even colder.

"Is it true?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Hermione's insides flipped.

"What's true?" she croaked.

"That you were with Draco." Hermione's insides burned and twisted.

"Ron, you have to understand-"

"I CAN"T BELIVE YOU,HERMIONE!!!" Ron threw his chair aside.

"But, Ron, you don't understand, just let me-" Ron whipped around.

"You want to explain? Explain this, why didn't you go to me after you got out of the Hospital Wing? HUH?!"

Hermione started to cry. "I'm sorry, please, it was just a stupid date, I-Idon't even know why I went!" Hermione bit her lip. '_I do mean that...right? No, that's it, I'm done with girlish fantasies about Draco!"_

"Went where?"

"ON A DATE WITH MALFOY!"

Ron eyes narrowed at the sound of his name. "I THOUGHT YOU LIKED ME!"

"WELL, GUESS WHAT?! I LOVE YOU!"

"AND I BLODDY LOVE YOU TOO!" They both stood, panting and looking confused. Then, in a rush, Hermione flung herself onto him, hugging him. They stood, hugging until who knows when. Hermione let go and kissed him, saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," into his shoulder.

_"_"I'm sorry I yelled, I'm sorry I cheated on you, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.." Hermione said, tears still slipping down her cheeks. Ron hugged her again.

"It's okay, just please, promise me, you won't do it again." Hermione felt terrible, she cheated on Ron and she didn't even realize it. That day she made a choice to forget what happened. But there was always that feeling she got when she was around him...and she felt it had to stop.

"I promise." Hermione had no idea that Draco was against the wall two bookcases away.

A/N: Hermione really can't make up her mind. She loves Ron, she likes Draco...dude. Cra-zay shit going on in this chappie. But this isn't the worst, though. HAHAHHAA...


	8. The Way We Fall

A/N: Review, please! And if you don't, darn you. Darn you to heck.

" I truly am-"

"'Mione, I get it!" Hermione had just apologized to on for the 6th time on their way to breakfast. He had her arm around her shoulder as they walked in the Great Hall, took their seats, and finally realized that Harry and Ginny weren't there. They looked through the crowd of chattering students.

"Where are they?"  
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"I'm really starting to like hanging out with you..." Ginny said while Harry kissed her down her neck. They were on his bed, and they were sure no one would come back from breakfast.

"I am too." Harry said before kissing her lips again. (A/N: Young love. Or raging teenage hormones, what's the diffrence? But don't worry, this is T not M!) Ginny giggled as they fell back, side by side onto his bed.

"You do know that Ron thnks that we aren't, well, a real couple?" Ginny said.

Harry kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about it, Gin. He'll find out, I'll tell him."

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Hermione and Ron got up and walked to the Gryffindor common room. It was empty, except for Parvati and Lavender, talking on their way up the girl's room.

"Come on, maybe Harry's in the boy's." Hermione folowed him up the steps, and walked into a stunned Ron. Hermione tried to look over his shoulder, and saw Ginny and Harry , on his bed, kissing wildly.

"NARGH!" Ron yelled. Harry and Ginny both whipped up, their eyes widening.

"OH MY GOD!" Hermione screamed.

"OH MY GOD!"Ginny screamed.

"Uhh." Harry fell back, groaning.

Ron ran over to Harry. "You. Go. You go _now."_ Harry leapt out of his bed and scrambled down the stairs.

"GINERVA-"

"DONT YOU 'GINERVA' ME-"

Hermione coulden't help it and burst out laughing. Ron and Ginny stared and also started laughing as they walked downstairs.

"Can we please erase this moment from our memories?" Ron said, still laughing.

"Please, I feel horrible for Harry, he must be traumatized!" Hermione said. They walked to the Great Hall where Harry sat, shuddering and twitchy.

"Hi, Harr-"

"ARGH!" Harry screamed, loooking around for Ron. He looked and got up, looking for a place to run.

"Harry, I'm not hurting you."

"Oh." Harry sat down next to an equally relived Ginny. He turned his head while other Gryffindors stared and gave them wierd looks.

"Just one question: Why on my bed?!" Ron exclaimed, catching the attention of more students.

"Actually, your bed is really soft, and Harry wanted to use it," Ginny turned Harry's head to Ron and Hermione. "Who can say no to that face?" Ron grimaced and started on a chicken leg.

"Well, at least you guys haven't done anything, if you know what I mean." Ron said. Harry and Ginny looked at each other and both turned a beet red.

"You didn't do anything, am I right?" Ron hissed.

"Um, Ron, over the summer-"

"No! No! No no no! That's it! That's the bloody end!" Ron stormed out of the Great Hall.

Hermione thought back to earlier, and what Draco might have thought of it. _'Wait...how does Dra-Malfoy feel about it?' _She thought of this while eating her food, but everywhere was so noisy, she really didn't pay attention to Harry and Ginny

"I'm going to the library, I want to study."

"Hermione, it's a weekend." Harry said. "Relax."

"Of course not, there's no time to relax!" She got up and walked out the Hall.

Hermione stopped only once in a while to look over her shoulder, for she felt as if she was being watched, but kept walking anyways. She decided she would stop at the Gryffindor common room to get her other books, when she walked up to the Fat Lady, who was downing a cup of wine, she was about to say the password whenhands grabbed her from behind. She tried to scream for the Fat Lady, but her eyes were closed and by then. she was snoring, still holding the wine. Hermione groaned and thrashed, trying toh it her attacker. She saw he was forcing her into the empty class room three doors away. Her attracker threw her inside the room, and she landed on the ground, panting. She turned and looked up to see no one other than Malfoy.

"Granger, we need to talk!"

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU!" she screamed,trying to get past him and out the door.

"Don't bother, Granger." she sighed and sat down.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Granger, I heard the Weasley and you this morning. So, you've chosen him, have you?"

"If you mean 'him', you mean Ronald and yes I have. He's sweet and he loves me!"

"And I like you!"

"It doesn't matter anymore, you're nothing to me!" she snarled. Hermione was surprised how ugly she sounded when she said that.

"No, Granger, I'm not doing anything to stay away!" In a swift motion, he picked her up by her wrist against a nearby standing lamp and pointed his wand at her wrist.

_'Colloportus!"_ he yelled, and her wrist was instantly bound. Hermione kicked out her legs, but he bound them too. He put her wand on her neck and whispered in his ear.

"Listen, Granger, I like you. I even think I'm falling in love, but you're mine!" Hermione felt like spitting in his face.

"You're psycho! I don't like you, Malfoy-" Then, in a desperate attempt to persue her, he smashed his lips against hers in a messy kiss. When he let go, she groaned. She coulden't belive that she liked that.

"Please, stop.." she pleaded . "I can't do this. I know you want to be with me, but I can't. I'm sorry." Draco let her go for a second, but didn't lose his hold on her.

"No, Granger, I'm never going to let you go!" he kissed her again, except this time it was passionate and soft at the same time. Hermione felt the strong urge to kiss him back, his lips were soft and his breath was warm...

Hermione did start to kiss him back frantically, putting a hand through his hair, and in between deep, hungry kisses she said, "I'm with Ron though..he'll hate me..I can't do this now."

"No one has to know, Granger," he told her softly is her ear. He pecked her down her neck softly. "It can be just me and you, Granger." Hermione couldent help it and tried not to be tempted to kiss him again. She put an arm around his neck to pull him claser, and he put a hand on the arch of her back.

"This is so wrong, but..I..Hermione said, giving up and putting her head to the side and started to kiss him again, except this time she really wanted him and he could tell. Every part of her body wanted him, but her mind felt neutral. She let go of him, trying to regain her breath. She pulled against the pole, trying to get closer, but just hurt her wrist even more. Draco betgan to kiss her collarbone again,but Hermione stopped him.

"I'm sorry!" Hermione cried. "I told you, I can't. No matter how much-"

"But you want it, I know you do.." Draco said whispered in her ear huskily. Hermione was about to kiss him again, but instead rolled her eyes and tried pushing him off and Draco looked even angrier.

"Fine Granger, but remember this: I will never forgive you! Never." Hermione felt something inside her feel as if it were burning. Draco had a sudden pained look on his face.

"Malfoy?" Hermione asked, scared of what was happening.

Draco fell backwards. Hermione looked up to see Harry and Ron, angered. Ron was about to run up and punch him, but Harry was quicker and pulled him back.

"'Mione, you okay?" Ron asked, untying her.

"I-I think. Thanks." she said, rubbing her wrist.

Harry looked down at him. "Leave him here?"

"No, we have to go to McGonagall or Dum-"

"Yeah, okay, we'll leave him here." Ron took Hermione's hand and they walked out.

"Ron, Harry we are going back in there now!" she commanded. Ron looked at her angry eyes and gulped.

"OK, fine, what do we do with him then?"

"I don't-" Hemrione gasped. He was gone.

"Where did he go?" Harry asked.

"I...I don't know." Hermione looked around.

"Now can we go?" Ron asked, tapping his foot, waiting at the door.

"Ok, come on. We've got Quidditch game later, let's not waste our energy." Harry said as they walked back to the common room. Ginny was inside and walked up to Ron.

"Listen, Ron, I'm sorry you had to find out that way," Ron and Hermione sat in a seperate couch across Harry and Ginny. "Just...me and Harry are, well, in love."

"Ginny, you don't understand you're too young for love! Especially...that kind of love." Ron shuddered and Hermione punched him on the shoulder.

"Stop being immature!" she barked. Ron mumbled angrily.

"Ron, we, er kinda are in love..." Harry said, trailing off, looking for a way to end the sentence not sounding romantic.

"But you could have at least told me how this happened."

"Ok," Ginny said excitedly. "The day during summer, a couple days before we were coming back, Harry was in my room, and we were talking and-"

"Spare me the details.." Ron said, grimacing. Hermione sighed and put her head back. _'I don't know why I didn't choose this life earlier. I'm with my boyfriend, my two best friends, and no Malfoy. No sickening sneer, or and ugly snarl and I dn't have to see Pansy in his lap every five minutes. This is the life, without Malfoy. I think I'm going to love this year very, very much...except for the rain...' _she looked at the windows where rain started to pound.

"Great.." Ron groaned, putting his head in his hands. "Rain."

"It's fine, Ron, you can still play." Hermione said.

"I know. But what if I make a-"

"Do you remember last year? Who helped win the Quidditch Cup?"

Ron smiled brightly. "Yeah.." he said, reminicing. Hemrione laughed.

"What?"

"Ron, don't you realize it? If you hadn't won the Quidditch Cup, it woulden't have provoked Harry to kiss Ginny!" Harry, Ginny, and Hermione all laughed as Ron's jaw dropped lower and lower with every second.

"You and your logic.." Ron grumbled.

"Well, it's me!" Hermione said, trying to sound as sophisticated as possible. Out of nowhere, she thought back to earlier and put her hand on her heart.

_'I've never done that before, even with Ron,'_ Hemrione thought._ 'That was exciting,and we could have gotten caught, and he's such a good a kisser...what a rush!'_ **'No, that was horrible. I don't need all that excitement...' **_'Oh, but it was so...hot!'_ **'Please, I hated every second of it!" **She was in a constant battle while everyone around her talked.

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Hermione and Ginny bid good bye and good luck to Harry and Ron before they went to get dressed. They ran in the rain over to the Gryffindor stands and tok their seat high in the air.

"Hermione, Harry told me somethnig happened to you," Ginny said over the rain. "What happened?"

"Malfoy attacked me." Hermioen said simply. Ginny gave her a serious look.

"WHAT?!" Hermione explained everything, even when they kissed for some time. Ginny smiled.

"Oooh. Sexy."Ginny said, laughing. Hemrione blushed.

"I must admit it was quite exhilerating."

"Must admit? This is Malfoy were talking about!"

"Ok, it was...nice to finally get some excitment in my love life if that's what you could even call it.." Hermione sighed. Ginny put a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen, so what? You had a nice make out session with Malfoy, no one needs to know."

"And that's what he said.." Hermione said, as the Quidditch match started.

Ginny sighed. "How I would love to get out on the field one more time.."

"Maybe Harry can get you on the team...even if he already did do tryouts.."

"Maybe. But I feel horrible, the only Chaser position left was given to some bubble-headed Gryffindor."

"Gin, next year, you'll be Chaser, you might even be Captain!"

"Oh, look, Harry and Ron!" she pointed in he sky where Draco and Harry floated, with Madame Hooch in the middle of them.

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Harry coughed as Madame Hooch recited the rules. There were whipping winds and blinding rain. He hardly noticed when he saw the Quaffle being thrown in the air.

"And there goes the Quaffle, the game has begun!" Luna said in her dreamy voice at the commentator's stand.

Harry scanned the skies for the Golden Snitch and looked at Draco, who was already on it's tail. Harry dewcided to follow him up into the clouds. Ron stood at the goal posts, waiting for the Quaffle. He looked up into the cluds and saw Draco and Harry flying around each other, trying to get the Snitch. Ron watched the game, still scanning for the Quaffle.

"Oh, and the Quaffle is going in Ron Weasley direction, he doesn't seem to be paying attention," Luna said dreamily. Ron was turned around, looking at ther sky and when he heard his name, he whipped around and felt a hard thoud against the bottom of his broom.

"And the Quaffle is now going really high in the sky, I hope it doesn't hit Harry."Luna said. Ron realized that the Quaffle was going up because it bounced off the bottom of his broom. He zoomed up into the clouds at Harry and Draco's level. When he got there, Draco and Harry were swearing, trying to get ahead. Draco stopped when he saw Ron.

"Hey, Weasel, did you see Granger eariler?" Ron had a angry look on his face. Harry flew over to join them. "O, no, you didn't. She was too busy getting hot and heavy with me." He laughed. Harry looked at Ron and in an instant, rammed straight into Malfoy at high speed. Malfoy flipped several times, still trying to hold on. He was hanging in mid-air, trying to regain balence. Harry laughed.

"See how you like it, Malfoy!" Harry laughed even harder. Harry stopped after a while, a twang of remorse went through him when he remebered faintly of how his broom malfunctioned. Harry flew over to him and held out a hand.

"I don't need your help, Pot-"

"Just take my hand, damn it!" Draco rolled his eyes and took him hand, helping him to flip back on his broom.

"It's Quidditch, no one needs to die."

"Yeah, except for you, Potter." He laughed. "and you, Weasel, as soon as you win the match, ask Her-" Harry swooped behind him in an instant a put his wand up to his neck.

"Say something else, and I swear Malfoy..." But Harry knew this was an empty threat. The Quaffle appeared behind on, but he didn't notice, let alone care. Ron also got out his wand, and Harry was still holding his neck and his wand.

"Fine." Draco said. But Harry didn't let go of him.

:And if you ever insult Ginny, I'll-"

"THIS IS FOR HERMIONE!" Ron roared, getting closer with his wand. Draco's eyebrows raised as he gulped.

"Ron, what are you-" Harry started.

"_STUPEFY!"_ Ron roared, and Harry's heart skipped a beat and began to thud it his ears. He was blasted back slightly, but he looked at Malfoy's broom...with no Malfoy on it. He turned to Ron, who had a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Do you know what you've done?" Harry roared over the blistering wind. "You've just-" But Ron was already flying down, towards the Keeper hoops.

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"I can't see anything.." Ginny said, trying to see with the hood of her red and gold poncho. Then, they saw something they hoped never to see again. After their third year with the dementor attack, they saw Harry falling through the skies. Now, it was someone else.

"GINNY, LOOK!" Hermione screamed. This caught the attetion of people around them, including Luna.

"OH NO! Somebody help, someone's fallen off their broom!" Luna yelled into the magical microphone.

Dumbledore got up, as did McGonagall. Hermione stood too look and screamed. Falling through the air at top speed was Malfoy. Hermione heart beat rapidly and her lower lip tremebled with fear. It happened so quickly, so suddenly, if Luna had'nt said this, only a few people wolud have noticed.

"_Aresto Momentum!'_ Dumbledore said,pointing his finger at his flailing form, but Malfoy still fell at a high speed, and he slowed down slightly, but not enough. It happened so fast, even Dumbledore wasn't quick enough. With a shap intake of breath from Hermione, they saw as Malfoy hit the ground.. Hermione exhaled a sob and cried into Ginny shoulder, who held onto her just as well. She thought back, back to he last words he spoke to her:

_'Fine, but remember this: I'll never forgive you! Never.'_

A/N: Steamy and sad, the worst combination. Review! I re-wrote this a bit.


	9. Heartbreak Heaven

A/N: YOU PUT THE **LIME **IN THE **COKE, **YOU NUT, AND **DRINK **IT ALL UP, YOU PUT THE **LIME **IN THE **COKE**, YOU NUT, AND **DRINK** IT ALL UP...and that was NOT an example of subliminal advertising...now I want a Coke with lime, strange...0-gets up to go find one-0

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Blaise, who was with Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy, shook his head in disbelief.

"DRAKIE!" Pansy sobbed on Blaise's shoulder, but he shook her off.

"...Malfoy..." he said to himself. He got up from his seat in the stands and walked down the stairs and out, walking to the Slytherin common room to spread the news. He also saw Hermione and Ginny running towards Malfoy. Blaise unadmittedly liked the way Ginny's hair waved back and forth as she ran. but shook this idea out of his head and walked off.

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"No! No!" Hermione sobbed into her shoulder. "That didn't just happen, Ginny, it didn't!"

"Hermione, it did, I'm so sorry." They looked over the see that Madame Pomfrey, Madame Hooch, Dumbledore, and McGonagall were huddled up in a circle near him. Hermione gasped and released out of Ginny's grasp. She tried to pull her back, but she just glared back, so Ginny followed her. Hermione looked at Harry and Ron with watery eyes, who was also in the circle.

"HARRY!" Hermione sobbed, hugging him.

"I-I-d-"

Hermione faced him and Harry looked suprised, her hair, looking tamed by the rain, was in all directions because of the wind, and her eyes were bloodshot red.

"HOW DID IT HAPPEN?!" Hermione asked though uncontrolled sobs. Harry glared at Ron, who was leaning against a nearby Keeper pole.

"He...he fell.' Harry said, comforting her. They saw Ron running to Hermione.

"What's the matter?" he asked, as if nobody had just fell over 30 feet in the sky.

"MALFOY COULD DIE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT'S THE MATTER?!" Harry and Ron exchanged confused looks.

"Hermione, why do you whether or not he lives or dies, I thought you hated him!" Harry asked. Hermione gasped in realization she was sobbing over someone her best friends considered to be her enemy.

"But, you see, it's not everyday that somemone at Hogwarts dies...and...even though I don't like him, it's horrible."

"Nah, it's just about every year," Harry said softly. Hermione let out a watery chuckle.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I get a bit too...emotional." Hermione said, glancing over at the circle of teachers. They cleared the way as Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore lifed him onto a stretcher.

"If there was anyone to worry about, it's me. I was up in the clouds, I could have fallen." Ron said smugly.

"Yeah. It's good, it's really, _really_ good you didn't." Harry said icily.

"Well, you were holding him. And I just took advantage of it." Ron murmured in his ear before storming off. Hermione and Ginny exchanged confused looks.

"Come on, Hooch said the game's been canceled." Harry, Ginny and Hermione walked away in the rain. When they reached the common room, they all grabbed blankets and sat at the fire. Other Gryffindors just walked to their common rooms, sulking, but they didn't see Ron.

"Uh, you guys, I have to go to the bathroom." Hermione said, walking out fo the room, leaving Ginny and Harry alone. Ginny broke into a sob, but wuickly stopped, trying not to catch Harry's attention, but it did. He got closer to her.

"What's wrong?" Harry said, putting an arm around her.

"I was so scared for you!" Ginny admitted in a rush of tears. Harry grabbed a nearby tissue box.

"Yeah. I was scared too."

"I would say you were a jerk if you weren't."

Harrry chuckled, then remembered earlier.

"Gin, what if I told you something, a secret you could never tell?"

"How important is this secret?"

"Well, let's just say that it really depends on who's side you are on."

"Um, okay. Tell me." Harry leaned down and told Ginny everything, and by the time she was done, Ginny looked angry.

"And you can't tell Hermione, it would break her heart to know that Ron did that."

"You...you, you just.." Ginny got up.

"What?" he asked.

"You held him inplace, if it weren't for you, Ron woulden't have even gotten the idea to Stun him!" Harry got up.

"It's not my fault Ron was being a prat."

"YOU WERE BEING A PRAT TOO!"

"Oh, yeah? How?"

"YOU FLIPPED HIM OFF HIS BROOM, ONLY TO THRERATEN HIM AGAIN, HOLD HIM IN PLACE SO THAT RON COULD STUN HIM!"

"Well, it's about time that someone did that...' Harry muttered.

"What did you say?" No, never mind," Ginny said before Harry could answer. "I'm going to go find Hermione!" Ginny ran off.

**At The Very Same Time, What Hermione Was Really Doing...'Cause No One Ever _ACTUALLY_ Goes To The Bathroom In My Story...**

She walked cautiously to hospital bed where Draco laid. She gulped and looked at him, and gasped. The top of his head was bandaged all around, his arm and leg in a cast. His blonde ahir looked now like a dirty brown, with mud and blood sticking it to his head., the blood from his head show through the bandage, his other wirst, almost broken. and cut all over. And his pointed face was scattered with cuts. Hermione took his hand which was cold, so cold. She wasn't sure whether or not he was alive, so she opened on fo his eyelids, where there was not that coldness he gave when Harry or Ron was around, but there wasn't that warmth he saw when he looked at her. Hermione started to cry, then sob.

"I wanted to end it, but I didn't want this!" she sobbed to herself, putting her head down on the bed. "I'm sorry I picked the safe choice, I just didn't want to ruin my reputation! I just didn't want everyone to know I was going to out with a Malfoy...oh, even that sounded horrible!" Hermione bit her lip frustration and took off, knowing that it may be forever from then that Draco would answer her. She thought she saw someone run in while she was running out, but ignored it, and ran to the 7th corridor.

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Ginny ran into the Hospital Wing and thought she saw someone turn the corner, but ignored it. She looked at Malfoy, laying in the hospital bed. She walked over to see his condition.

_'Poor Hermione, no matter how much she denied it, I knew she cared for him...and he cared for her.'_

"Didn't expect to see you here." a voice said from behind her. She whipped around and Blaise was standing there.

"Oh...hi. Uh, have you seen Hermione?"

"No, I haaven't seen Granger anywhere. The question is, what are you doing here?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Looking for Hemrione." Blaise walked next to her. over Draco's body.

"I see. Of course, she probably was already here, knowing her current...state with Draco."

Ginny looked at him puzzledly. "Current..state? How did-"

"Suprisingly, he confides in me. I know about Granger and his little escpades."

"And you have no problem with it?"

"Of course not. I've actually had my eye on a Gryffindor for a while." he said. Ginny turned the color of her hair as she plled up a stoll and sat down in silence.

"Really? Lavender or Parvati?"

"What?"

"Lavender or Parvati?"

Blaise chuckled. "Neither of them, really. Actually...'

Ginny gulped. "Yeah?"

"Nothing, never mind." Ginny looked at the slightly nervous look on his face and smiled. _'What handsome features..'_ she thought, smiling, but frowned slightly.

_'He's still a pompous little poser..'_ Ginny thought, thinking back to last year.

"I should get going.." Ginny said, getting off of her stool. Blaise walked towards her.

"So, I'll see you later?" Blaise asked.

Ginny turned a deep shade of red. "Yes, I-" Ginny was cut off when Blaise put an arm around her waist and kissed her. It was electrifying for Ginny. Usually, when Ginny kissed someone, it was just a kiss. He let go and Ginny, for the first time, looked flustered.

"Uh, like I said, must be off!" she said quickly, sprinting away and tripping over her robes again and again. Blaise chuckled as he watched her run, trip, run, and trip.

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Hermione turned to see a flustered Ginny, running and tripping.

"Hermione," Ginny said, breathless. "I-got to-to tell you some-thing!"

"Yeah?"she asked.

"BLAISE KISSED ME!" she exclaimed in one breath, causing her to gasp and collapse against the wall. Hermione sat next to her.

"How did it happen?" Hermione asked. Ginny explained to her.

"Wow...maybe he fancies you." Hermione suggested, then chuckled. "It's not like you fancy him." Ginny turned bright red as Hermione stopped laughing and turned her body towards her.

"You fancy him?" Hermione asked, laughing. Ginny scowled.

"I guess everyones trying the Slytherin thing," Hemrione said, laughing harder. At this, Ginny remembered what she actually wanted to tell her. She gave a grim look.

"What?"

"Hermione...Malfoy didn't fall."

"Of course he did, don't say that!"

"No...he was Stunned." Hermione gasped and looked around.

"Ginny, that's attempted murder! Whoever did that could go to Azkaban! Or even worse, get expelled!" Hermione shuddered at the thought of being expelled.

"Well, what if it was someone we...knew?"

Hermiones face turned serious. "You don't think Harry did it!"

"N-no...Ron did. And Harry didn't say a thing, can you belive him?!" But Hermione was in a world of her own, and at the thought of Ron blasting Malfoy off of his broom she started crying again. Ginny hugged her.

"Oh, 'Mione, I'm so sorry. I shoulden't have even told you."

"No, it's good you told me." She got up and pulled her wand out.

"Hermione...what are you goign to do?" she asked cautiously, taking a few steps away. She gave Ginny a frightiningly fake smile.

"I'm going to go find Harry and Ron.." she said, drifting off and away. When they reached the common room, they saw Harry and Ron arguing.

"Oh yeah? And what if I told McGonagall.." Harry said, taking out his wand.

"Harry, stop!" Hermione ran over to him and lowered his wand. "Now..," she said calmly. "Who here wants to explain how Malfoy fell off of his broom in the clouds when he was floating stilly with you two up there too?"

Ron and Harry gaped at her and turned red. Harry looked at Ron, gesturing to face the bushy-brown haired girl who was just waiting to blow up on anybody in the vicinity.

"Uh...er...He said you guys had a go in a empty classroom!"

"THAT'S NO BLOODY EXCUSE TO BLAST SOMEONE OFF OF THEIR BROOM!" Hermione took nher bags and walked away. She turned at the door, with her wand raised.

_'FURNUCULUS!' _Hermione screamed. Ron yelped and fell over when huge boils appeared on him. He tried scratiching them off, but they exploded into yellow, smelly goo that made more appear.

"Serves you right," Ginny said, following Hermione out. Hermione was walkign to the Hospital Wing once again and when they reached there, they went to see Draco.

"I wonder what he's thinking right now, either he's passed out or in a coma." Ginny siad, staring down at him.

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"Wha.." Draco said, walkign though thick fog. He looked down to see he was still in Quidditch outfit. He looked around and all he saw were white walls. He felt his right pocket, he still had his wand. He didn't remember anything until he thought back to Quidditch when Ron knocked him off.

'Weasel! I'll get him..." he growled, going through corner after corner until he reached a large, wooden door. He hesitantly touched to doorknob and opened it and walked on the other side.

It looked like the inside of a mansion's living room. The carpet was lush with soft blue carpet, and the wall had fancy pictures on it of different people. The fog still subsided at his feet. He looked around the empty room and saw a chair that had a sign over it saying, "Newcomers." He sat down in the plushy red chair and out of nowhere, a man in a over-done blzer, blue leather looking pants, and a hat stood in front of him. To sum up how he looked, he looked as if he thought he was still in the 70's, and basically was tacky. He akwardly stood there, holding his hand out holding hid hat with the orther as if he were presenting sometihng with his eyes closed. When Draco didn't react, he opened his eyes and blinked. The man was quite old with dark skin, a big, white teeth.

"Sorry, I didn't give a proper introduction! I am"leader" of the Club." He said in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Who are you?!" he asked,pointing his wand at him. "Are you Muggle? And what club?"

"Oh? You don't know?"

"Uh, know what?"

"You are here! Didn't you fall of of your broom?"

"Yes.." he growled, his cheeks turning red. "But I was blasted off!"

"Whatever, dude. You are in a sort of Heaven."

"I'M DEAD?! DAMN IT!"

The old guy chuckled. "You see, for wizards, there's a type of Heaven, depending on what we are like, out actions, presonalities. Let's see.." Out of nowhere, he pulled out a book, probably from his small coat.

"Ok..." Draco looked at the cover curiously. With a poof, a table appeared and he placed the book on it. While he flipped throught he book, Draco thought of how he went to Heaven in the first place.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, I presume."

"Yes."

"Ah. Ms. Parkinson, Ms. Greengrass, Ms.-"

"Wait, what are you reading from?"

"Oh!" He turned over the book. It said in golden letters. "Heartbreaks, etc..."

"So..huh?!"

"Don't you get it, boy? You are in Heartbreaker Heaven! That was just the lists of all the hearts you have broken,and belive me, the list goes on..." He said, chortling to hiself as he looked down the list.

"And last...wait a minute! What's this? Ms. Granger has a red mark next to her name?" Draco froze at the thought of her.

_'Granger...what is she thinking right now.."_ he thought.

"Do you want to see?" the old man asked. Draco turned red, realizing he said that out loud. On the side of the wall with a flick of his wand, a T.V appeared.

"Nah, I could care less what perfect Granger is doing, she's probably popping a bottle of wine at my death," he grumbled. "And Wonder Boy and his sidekick, Moneyless Man. And-"

"Which one is Earth..." he muttered to himself, cutting Draco off. "640." He took the remote and it showed Hermione sobbing into Ginny's arms while they sat in chars next to his hospital bed. Draco plled up his chair.

"Oh, Ginny, I never even got a chance to tell him..I...I...I..." But Hermione kept crying.

"Granger.." he said geting closer tot he sceen.

"I bet he really misses you, and he'll wake up in no time, I promise you.' Ginny said. Draco sighed.

"But what if in the middle of the night when Madame Pomfrey is asleep, he dies?" she wailed.

"He won't, hope for the best," Ginny said. "He's not dead, Madame Pomfrey said so...they might have to move him to St. Mungo's." _'Granger..crying for..me?'_ Draco turned to the old man.

"You said I was dead!"

"No I didn't. I said, you are in Heaven. But that doesn't mean you're dead. You have a choice."

"A choice?"

"You can stay here and go out with as many girls you want, no one can stop you. You can dine, drink wine, do whatever you want!"

"Sounds cool." Draco said smugly as if it wasn't good enough.

"Or you can go back to Earth and go through that door...but you'll be missing out, and you'll hae to deal withn that buck-toothed-" Before he knew it, he was against the wall with Draco's wand going deeper in his neck. He was scared of what he might do when pushed over the edge, so he let him go. He straightened his jacket.

"Come on, brother! Come where you can play the hell outta girls, and do it over and over," He said, holding out his hand.

"Look, I'm not your brother, and I want to live." Draco sneered at him.

"Fine. Oh, wait, but before you go, you have to take the tour!" he grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled them into the walk in fireplace. He took out some silvery powder.

"Tour Floo Power, created it myself, takes us to every tour sight just by stepping in the fire place." he said happily. He dropped it and said, "The usual." and Draco has the strange feeling of being thrown around and spun throughout the Floo Network.

When they arrived, he walked out onto a pink and purple leathery feeling clud. They floated int he sky as the old man pointed to diffrent aspects.

"See, would you lookat that? A wizards caberet..' he said suggestively to see strange looking wizards going in a loud music playing.

"Hmmm.." said in agreement.

"And over there," he saids, poniting to a bar.'Is our top of the line Player's Bar. Best makers of firewhiskey and butterbeer in the Network of Heaven."

"Isn't getting drunk immoral...not that I care." He said.

"Uhh...well..."

"Tell me this is a heaven."

"Ok, ok., I lied. It's a...middle."

"But that's Earth."

"OK, OK! It's not really here nor there, get what I mean? For the wizards and withches..but this is an all guys club at least." he said, and Draco nodded.

"And there is our flying arena." Draco gaped at a huge stadium, almost like at the Quidditch World Cup,all being supported by one of the little leathery clouds.

"And that's it?"

"Well.." there was another fireplace with no back on it on another cloud. They carefully hopped from cloud to cloud to that cloud that suppported it. They stepped into it and found themselves in the lobby-like room.

"So...you want to stay?"

"Oh, it sounds awsome but.." he looked at the screen with the sobbing Hermione there, alone. He got closer to get a better look and she was in the bed next to him with her hand on chest, dozing off.

"She needs me."

"Ok. But you can never come back."

"Don't give me that "All Dogs Go To Heaven" crap, I'll be back." Malfoy said, thinking back to the stupid muggle movie they he had seen over the summer at Blaise's house. (A/N: In case you've never seen it, the main character whos a dog rewinds this watch that controls how long he lives and this other heaven dog thingy tells him he can never come back. He does. Ugh.)

"Fine. You step through that door, and your destiny will wait." Draco grabbed his broom which was propped against the wall.

"See ya!" he said, openeing the large oak door into blinding whiteness. When he looked up, he saw a stones, a gray stone ceiling.

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"What.." Draco asked. Hermione felt a faster heartbeat on Draco as she woke up. She looked up and Draco's eyeslids fluttered. She was waiting for Ginny to come back from the common room and looked at the window. It was dark, very dark and the rain stopped. The Quidditch game had been last week, and the past week had been Hell for Hermione only saying "hi' and "bye' to Harry and not talking to Ron at all, who had round scars all over his face and the rest of him.(If you haven't guessed it, that little "coma heaven' thingy or whatever actually meant Draco was out for a week. So don't be confused that the thing he saw on the TV wasn't right after when Hermione and Ginny confronted Ron. It was actually a week later.) She looked down as her eyes widened.

"Draco?" she asked. He gave a faint smile.

"How long have I been out for?"

"A week."

"A WEEK?!"

"Yeah..." Then she realized how much emotion was coming back. "Oh, Draco!" she sobbed. Draco coulden't help but to wrap her arms around her and kiss her. His arms and leg felt stiff, but he kissed her anyways and put a hand through her hair. When they let go, Hermione looked at her poistion and blushed. She was laying right on top of him, her hands ont he sides of his face and his arms wrapped around her back.

"Are we interupting something?" Blaise and Ginny asked at the doorway.

"Yes you are, so get out." Draco said simply, trying to get back to kissing her. Hermione playfully tapped im on the chest and got off of him.

"Uh, you kinda are." Hermione said, still turning red.

"Well, before I upchuck dinner, I'm going." Blaise said with a giggle from Ginny, and he grabbed her arm and left. Hermiione sat in the chair next to him.

"So, I'm going to break up with Ron."

"Oh..really."

"He makes me so mad! I feel all evil, diabolical, and purely Slytherin." Draco 's body felt hot and tense

"Say that again."

"Say what? Evil?" Draco felt more tense.

"Diabolical?" Hermione propped herself on the side of his bed.

"And purely..Slytherin?" Hermion raised an eyebrow. Draco pulled her down next to him and kissed her wildly and Hermioen felt her cheeks flush.

_Who knew a couple of evil words can make Malfoy turn into a hormonal 14-year-old boy?'_ Hemrione thought as she kissed him back.

A/N: How sweet..and strange, and steamy. Well, not really. Uh, to all my peeps, have a Super '07 and a Harry New Year!


	10. Hermione's List

A/N: How come every time you come come around my London London bridge is going down like London London London, is going down likw London London London it's going down?!

Draco woke up in the morning, still laying on the hospital bed with his bandages pelling off. He rubbed his head and checked his bruises on his ribs. His arms were stiff, but his left one seemed to be okay. His legs were beng lifted up, so he coulden't really test whether or not they were stil accesible. Hew felt a warm breath by his arm and looked. Hermione was still there from the night beofre, at his side and sleeping. Draco gave a faint smile.

"Come on, love, wake up," Draco said, poking her on the shoulder.

"Mff, I love you, too.." Hermione mumbled. Draco's eyes shot open.

"What?" he asked, craning his head down next to her.

"I said," she mumbled, rolling over so that half of her was on top of him. "I love you too, Ron."

"WHAT THE HELL? I'M NOT WEASEL!" Hermione's eyes snapped open and she stared at him though hazy eyes.

"What?"

"You-you-ju-just said," Draco stuttered, bewildered.

Hermione rubbed her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"You said you love Weasel in your dream!"

Hermione stopped rubbing her eyes and froze. "I-Oh, that old thing? I've been doing that since 3rd year."

"Now I feel loads better." Draco muttered under his breath, getting out of his bed.

Hermioen frowned. "Don't tel me you're getting mad over that! Ginny caught me doing that and she didn't panic!"

"But she wasn't going out with you." Draco said.

Hemrione's face burned. "We're...going out?"

"Y..es." Draco said hesitantly.

"But what about Pansy?" Hermione asked in a vioce barely above a whisper.

"Pansy? She's just a leech. I almost thought she was growing off onto Blaise last year," Draco said. But Hermione wss still hesitant and almost looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"But it'll be fine," Draco said quickly, trying to avoid the akwardness he felt when she cried, never really sure of what to do. "The only way to get off a leech is to-"

"-Burn it off. Well, that's the Muggle way. So you're going to just be horrible and maybe she'll leave?"

"Yep."

"Oh...ok then."

"Um, what's the matter?" Draco asked, sitting on the side of his bed.

"I just," she sighed. "I don't know. This seems so unconventional for me, I mean, I'd like it if we kept it a secret." Draco's eyes flashed with anger.

"What?" Hermione looked frightened.

"Well, we both have responsibilities to our houses and-"

"No, I get it. You want to keep out relationship a secret so you can cruise around, flirting with guys in your house, hanging wit Potter and Weasel, and then just being with me when you need someone to cry on." Hermione looked astouded and completely missed the guilty look on Draco's face. She had never seen him liek this, being possessive and jealous.

"I am not a flirt!" she said angrily, packing her books. "And if I want someone to cry on, I'll go to Ginny! And maybe you're right, Malfoy! Maybe I would be better off with them!" Draco's face contorted with anger.

"Fine! I don't want to go out with a filthy, disgusting, Mudblood of Gryffindor!" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Hermione's lower lip quivered.

"Oh..I.." Draco felt horrible; he was expecting a witty comeback, not signs of defeat. "I see." A river of tears were slipping down her face as she ran out of the Hospital Wing and outside the door, trying not to make her sobs audible. Draco could hear them from outside and crept out. Hermioen was huddled in a corner of a coridor, sobbing.

"Granger...I-"

"Get away from me!" she hissed. Draco lept back and left her alone, walking back inside to see Madame Pomfrey.

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Hermione walked back tot he common room and saw Ginny, Ron and Harry, sitting in sepreate chairs, not speaking to one another. They all looked up at her entrance, and all looked back into the fire.

"Ginny, Ronald, Harry," she said, starightining her robes. "I have somoething to say." They all looked up, their stares blank.

"Er, Harry, I am no longer mad at you." Hermione said, trying to sound proffesional. Harry's body was tense, but he relaxed whens she said this.

"Thanks, 'Mione," he said, grinning largely.

"And Ron, you're going to have to earn my trust back." Ron shrugged as if he didn't care, but everyone saw the happy and excited look on his face. "And I've...been thinking and...um...well, I have to think about ti, but for the meantime..." She coulden't think of the words to say.

"Gin, I'll talk to you upstairs."She grabbed her arm and they walked upstairs, but noticed Ginny's slight limp.

"What happened?" Ginny burst into tears.

"I broke up with Harry," Ginny said. "He was devestated, Ron yelled at me, Harry yelled at him, Ron tried to hex him, but he used the Half-Blood Prince spell and was in the air. When Ron came down, he..he..he," Ginny sobbed on.

"What?" Hermione asked kindly. Ginny cried and pushed back her long hair and Hermione gasped. There was a bruise the size of a baseball on the side of Ginny's tear-stained face.

"Oh my God! Ronald hit you!"

"He hexed me. And he said people were going to think I was a slut, then Harry hexed him again.. It was horrible." Giinny sobbed into her pillow.

"Why did you break it off with Harry?" Hermione asked, being as gentle as possible. Ginny looked up.

"Becuase for some reason, I think I like Blaise Zabini!" she wailed. Hermione tried not to give her 'I told you so' look and comforted her.

"How did it happen? You haven't mentioned anything all week!" Actually, the more she thought about it, she almost never saw her in class, just at breakast all week when Draco was out.

"You know how, a week later,before we saw you with Malfoy? Well, he asked me to go somewhere and we went to the Astromony Tower;we've been going there all week. We were looking at the stars when he said I was as pretty as they were..for a blood traitor. I got mad, smaked him and turned to leave, but the hem of my robes (which need to be smaller) tripped me, so I fell. We were just gong to the Hospital Wing to get some peroxide for my knee, which is when we saw you guys. When you fell asleep, Madame Pomfrey said I whave to relax my knee, so stayed there untill 3 in the morning. You guys were still asleep when I was about to sneak off, but Zabini was still there with me in the morning. He must have heard me because when I got up, he kissed me. I was in shock and came down here to see Harry and Ron fighting again. And that's when it started!" Ginny cried.

"If you thought that was bad...me and Malfoy aren't going to go out." Gnny stopped wailing.

"Why?" Hermione explained their fight and Ginny looked at her with a curious face.

"It was terrible of him to call you a Mudblood, but-"

"I know! Why wasn't he considerate of my feelings?!"

"Yes, but-"

"And I'm the one who feel for him, it's me he has!"

"Right, er-"

"And my feelings are important!"

"HERMIONE!" Ginny said loudly. Hermioen stopped talking. "Did you think about _his _feelings?" Hermone pondred on that.

"I guess not. And I also said I loved Ron in my sleep." Horror struck Ginny's face. "What?"

"You said you loved Ron, then said you wantedto keep your relationship a secret? I'm sorry, I'm with Malfoy on this one." Ginny said, shaking her head. "You know hat I do when I can't make a descion? I make this muggle thing, I think it's called a cros and pron list."

"You mean a pros and con list," Hermione said, sighing. Ginny pulled a piece of parchment out and got her quills out.

"Here," she put the parchment on the Defense Against The Dark Arts book. "Now, let's make a list. What do you like about him?"

"Well," Hermione said, blushing. "He's absolutely gorgeous!" Ginny put that as a con.

"Tell me if you need help, okay? I need to go talk to Harry.." she said, trailing off.

"Good luck!" she called after him.

_Pro: He's gorgeous._

Hermione thought with the end of the quill on the lips.

_Con: Becomes easily angered._

_Pro: Good kisser._

_Con: Parkinson. Enough said._

_Pro: Quite smart._

_Con: In Slytherin._

_Pro: He likes me body, mind and soul._

_Con: Harry and Ron would beat him to a bloody pulp._

Hemione pocketed the scroll and went to breakfast.

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Breakfast was quiet for Malfoy, he didn't each much. His heart dropped and he had a lump in his throat from earlier.

_'I called her a Mud-mud..'_Malfoy felt like retching at the sound of it. _'It's the name Father and I used to use..but not anymore! I am no longer a part of him!'_ he thought strongly. He looked at Hermione and looked down. Ron 's hand was on her leg and he was whisperng in her ear, and he saw her turn red second by second. Malfoy growled at looked at his owl.

"Damion, give this to Granger." he said, giving a piece of parchment to his. The owl understood and flew over to to the table. The owl landed and Hermione took the piece of paper and read it.

_Granger,_

_I'm sorry. You deserve better (in more ways than one.)_

Hermione smiled.

_I shoulden't have called you that, I'm not my father. So can you tell Weasely stop feeling you up? DMXXOO_

"Ron, we need to talk," Hermione said.

"Shoot!" he said, swalloing some fried egg.

"Why did you hex Ginny?" He stopped chewing.

"I was mad and I..I feel pretty bad about it...m and Harry aren't speaking and I feel bad I did any of it." Ron said quietly, actually showing some emotion and regret in his voice. Hermione felt bad for him and hugged him tightly.

"It's okay, just please, I need you to do something for me."

"Anything. That doesn't have to do with spiders." Hermioen laughed.

"I think you'd think it's worse. I want you to apologive to Ginny, Harry and Malfoy."

"WHAT?!"

"Please?"

"Alright.." he grumbled. "Now?"

"I'd like that very much." Ron got up and stalked to the Slytherin table. Hermione kept the beautiful brown and black barn owl on her arm. Slytherins hissed when they arrived there and Draco looked mature, but amused.

"Weasley."

"Malfoy. I'm sorry." Malfoy looked bewildered again.

"Oh. Right, well," He looked at the other Slytherins. "I guess it's alright." Hermione gave him his bird.

"It's quite pretty." Hermione said kindly.

"Not as pretty as-" Ron cleared his throat, cutting him off. She waved back.

"Uh, bye." she said. Ron and Hermione sat back down.

"Do you have feelings for him?" Ron asked quietly. Hermione had prepared a speech but her mind went blank when she he said this.

"Uh..Ron, I think I do. I've been having feelings for him for a while and I didn't want to break your heart. I thought of him as a friend and then I realized..that maybe it was something more. Please don't yell.."Hermione said. Ron rubbed his eyes.

"You made me a promise."

"I pomised I woulen't cheat, and I didn't. I was there for him, I was a friend. And then this morning, we had a fight and I know I wasn't thinking straight, but now..I can. I'm pretty sure I can make the descion."

"Of all the people, you chose Malfoy?!" he asked angrily.

"He's changed, he's grown up." Hermone said.

"Doubt it," Ron said loudly. "Just one thing I have to say!"

"What?' Hermione whimpered. Ron took a last bite of his egg.

"I will try to get you back,but don't expect me to be there when he breaks your heart in a couple weeks," he said grimly. Hermone was kind of relived;he was taking this quite well. The food disspeared and the students filed out. In Herbology, Draco and Hermioen didn't talk much, but in second hour, they were going to finally meet the Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, who wasn't at breakfast but arrived.

"Hello, my name is Amber Thompson, but you may call me Proffesor Thompson." she said. She was tall and wearing a plad skirt, black heels and an argyle vest with a white blouse underneath. She wore glasses that reminded Hermione of Rita Skeeter, except there were no strange sequins or jewels. She had blonde hair on slightly pale skin and blue-green eyes. Seamus raised her hand.

"What's your name?" she asked kindly.

"What is someone like you doing teaching somewhere like here?" Ripples of laughter went through the room. Harry, Ron and Draco didn't look happy that the seating was permanent.

"If that means that you are indeed implying that I am a common bubble-headed slut, then you are horribly mistaken. I am a licenced Auror. I have caught more Dark wizards than you can imagine." she said coldly. Thr ripples of laughter was louder when Seamus turned red and sunk back into his seat. Hermone, however, sat up; she was starting to like this teacher. Voldemort was dead, but other Death Eaters were still at large, trying to be the next Dark Lord.

Hermione felt tense as Ron whispered in her ear softly, "You know, 'Mione, you look really nice in the sunlight.." Ron said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Draco looked mad, scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it too her when the teacher was writing her name on the board, and when Ron was gazing at her. Hermioen noticed something she didn't notice before: the girl was a Veela. Ron gaped as her long sheet of silver-blonde hair swept back and forth.

_Why is Weasel trying, and I mean TRYING to seduce you?_

_**Honestly, he's not doing a very good job. Don't worry about it.**_

_Haha, but seriously, tell him to stop._

**_Why? Jealous? Denying sudden found lust for me?_**

_Of course not!_

_**Right.**_ Draco winked at her and smiled. Hermione's body felt tense. Then she had an idea that would kill him. She took out a confiscated Extendable Ear and gave the other end from other the table to Draco, who, confused, put it up to his ear.

"You know how I feel?" Hermioen whispered into the flesh-colored cord. Draco shrugged.

"I feel evil," Hermione breathed into it softly. She looked up and bit back laughter at him, twitching.

"Very diobolical and, may I add, purely Slytherin?" she whispered, knowing she was slowly controlling him. Draco narrowed lust-filled eyes at her.

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Draco fanned himself with his book. He coulden't belive that she was trying to seduce _him,_ Sexy Slytherin Royalty! It was only the teacher's ramblings about herself that kept him from pinning her aganst the wall as making out with her in front of the class. To Hermione's amusement, he kept turning red at the moments when he wasn't being fanned. Hermione laughed lightly to herself.

"Proffesor, may I go to the lavatory?" Hermione asked politely with her hand raised.

"Ok, but be back soon." she said. Hermione got up and walked slowly walked to the door. Draco knew she was doing this on purpose, swinging her hips side to side.

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Hermione laughed when she left the room. Never had she done that before. She saw Malfoy come out of the room, and, flustered, pinned her against the wall and kissed her passionately.

"Took you long enough," she said. He put his arms around her waist. He stopped and pecked her on the neck.

"You suck.." he muttered, kissing her down her neck. "You really do. And in the middle of class?"

"You called me filthy." she said. "And payback's a bitch."

"It's pretty hot, actually." Draco said. They heard someone clearing their throat next to them, and Draco and Hermone's fierce kisses froze . They looked up and Harry was standing there.

"I can explain!" she said. "You knwo, teenage hormones!" she said frantically. But how could she possibly explain that Malfoy had her against the wall up to his height and that he was kissing her? Harry didn't look mad, but amused.

"Hey, Hermione." he said nonchalantly. Draco, in shock, let her down and she hit the ground with a thud.

"Uh, you're not mad?"

"Hermione, you're forgetting that I've known this for days." Hermione realized that Ginny had been telling him everything.

"Oh. Ok." Malfoy walked up to him and Harry just stared blankly.

"If you hurt her, I'll rip you apart limb by limb."

"Oh I know. Put her there, then." He held out his hand hesitantly, and Harry shook it with a faint smile.

"Well, I'm getting back to inside. You two should too."

"Right. See you in there, Harry." Hermione said. He walked inside leabing Draco and Hermione alone. Hermione turned to him and kissed him deeply on the lips again. The kiss semed to last forever. Draco looked flustered.

"What was that for?"

"For making peace."

"Oh yeah. By the way, don't let Weasely feel you up, ok?"

"Hmm, I wasn't going to." She smirked. "Jealous?"

"No.." he muttered. She hugged him and Malfoy felt strange, he'd only been hugged so many times is his life, but hugged her anyways. He put a hand onto of her hair, which was tamed more today and felt soft. "I just don't want anyone feeling up my girlfriend. My _real _girlfriend." He reassured her, thinking of Pansy. Hermione kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll be in in a second." She said. He left and she pulled out her scroll.

_Overly possesive and jealous._

Hermione wrote next to it "Pro."

A/N: Steammmmmyyyy...hehe...In case you weer sondering, the reason why all thses are donw so fast is 'cause during school, I'll only write on weekends. Review.


	11. Departing

A/N: "I called your boyfriend gay and he hit me with his purse!"-Random qoute from today when I saw a bitchiness in my 3rd hour. He asks to use her cover-up and has a purse. I'm not making fun of him, but dude..do you need to make it any more obvious?

"This is nice." Hermione sighed. "But I have to get back to work." Draco and Hermione were by the Black Lake, listeining to the merpeople sing and chatter. They were on a picnic blanket having pumpkin juice and sandwiches that Hermione's mother sent her in the post. It was late spring and kind of cold, but Draco begged her. Their N.E.W.T.S were coming and they were coming fast; Hermioen didn't want to waste any time.

"Come on, love," Draco murmured while he rubbed her shoulders. "Just enjoy the scenery."

"But N.E.W.T.S are coming, how can I relax?" she said hysterically, shaking off his hands feebly. The news of Draco and Hermioen together spread like wildfire, especially to the Gryfindors. After recieving dirty looks from everyone(The only friends Hermione had left were Harry, Luna and Ginny, and the only friend Draco had was Blaise.)they decided to go out on the Grounds.

"Why can't you just take a break?" Draco asked. "And what is this?"

"What is what?"

"These horrid sandwiches!" He took another bite of the small peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and grimaced.

"They're peanut butter and jelly and my Mum's!" Draco blushed.

"Uh, I didn't know."

"Right." Hermione said, sipping her pumpkin juice. She looked into his blue-gray eyes he looked back into her hazel ones.

"DRAKIE-POO, WHAT ARE YOU _DOING?!_" Pansy screamed. They were snapped out of their moment and looked at Pansy bounding towards them, red in the face.

Draco looked calm, but Hermione looked panicked.

"Pansy, leave me alone. I am spending alone time with my girlfriend." Draco said, putting an arm around her. Pansy looked bewildered. She raised her wand.

"Get away from him, Mudblood! _Stu-"_

_"Silencio!"_ Hermione yelled, cutting her off. She got up to a stomping Pansy and with a hand, knocked her over.

"Listen, Parkinson. Me and Draco are together. Do the world a favor and keep your mouth shut. Everything that comes out is meaningless, and we don't need meaningless people in the world. Now if you don't mind, I want to enjoy aq dinner picnic with my boyfriend eating my Mum's sandwiches. Go inside _now_." Draco sat down, dumbfounded. He had never seen Hermione threaten someone, let alone resort to violence. She let off the Silencing Charm.

"What if I don't, Mudblood?"

"Then I don't know how you will ever get your teeth back to normal."Hermione said thoughfully.

"Huh?"

"_Desaugeo!"_ she said, and Pansy's two front teeth grew rapidly. Draco felt a twang of remorse, remembering when that same charm was used on her. Pansy, in hysteric tears, ran back inside and from outside, they could hear roars of laughter. Hermione was still glaring at the door when she flipped her wand into her pocket and sat down, smoothing out her skirt.

"So," Hermione said brightly, brandishing a bottle of orange liquid. "Pumpkin juice?" Draco was silent, confused as ever.

"What the hell was that?"

"Oh, that? Just a nasty encounter."

"Want to make it nastier?" Draco said in a deep, husky voice. Hermione tilted her head smled slyly, clicking her tounge. Hermione leaned into him for a kiss slowly. He closed his eyes expectantly, but felt a hand on his chest, and Hermione pushed him back.

"Oh? You were being serious? I apologize, I had no idea!" Hermione said, still laughing.

"Grr.." Draco said, jumping on her and tickling her.

"Stop! Seriously...stop!" Hermioen giggled as he scratched her sides. He got off of her.

"See? Your not all books and brains!"

"I'm books and brains plenty. Life isn't all beer and skittles."

"What?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Thomas Hughes?"

"What?!"

"Never mind."

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Ron slowly gagged when he saw Hermione and Draco walking in, hand in hand. Hermione turned red when the Slytherins whispered to one another and kissed him gingerly on the cheek, walking to the Gryffindor table in between Harry and Ron, across from Ginny. Most Gryffindors from their year were silent and their eyes were on her. She reached out to take a bowl strawberry ice cream.

"What?" she asked, tucking her napking in her robes.

"Do you really have to make a spectacle out of it?" Ron asked.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, holding hands, kissing.."

"I kissed him on cheek and that's what..couples do."

"I think it's cute." Ginny said boldly. Hermione looked at Harry, who was silent, picking at his mashed potatoes.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Nothing."

"Harry, I know something's wrong!"

"Get off of it, Hermione!" he got up and walked out the Great Hall.

"His...his scar hurt today."Ginny said, her voice cracking. Hermione gasped loudly.

"Come on, let's go to the common room." Ginny muttered. Ron, (who didn't talk to Hermione unless it was flirting and putting down Draco)Ginny and Hermioen walked to the common room and din't see Harry, who most likely went upstairs.

"I thought Voldemort was dead!" Hermione said in a hushed tone. Ron winced.

"Oh, please!" Hermione said. "You faced his Death Eaters!"

"But that's just it, Hermione. Havent you read the post?" Ginny handed her a copy of that day's Daily Prophet and gasped. Hermione snatched it out of her hands and ran outto the Slytherin common rooms. Tears slippeed out of her eyes as she ran downstairs. At this point, she realized that she was going to die. She saw St. Nick, gliding around.

"Hello, Hermione!" he greeted, but Hermione ran through him. Dramatic shouts of, "Well I never!" could be heard as she ran. When she reached the the last floor, she stopped her knees buckling from exhaustion when she realized that she didn't know the password to the Slytherin common room.

"Hermione?" said a voice from behind her. She turned and saw Draco and Blaise, walking towards her. Draco walked faster and helped her up.

"Thanks.." she half panted, half sobbed. He wiped her tear-stained face with his sleeve.

"What's happened?" Tears still flowing thickly, she thrashed out the Daily Prophet at them, showing what was on the front.

"No." Draco said in disbelief.

"Yes!" she cried. Blaise stepped foward.

"What?" Draco turned to him.

"The Death Eaters have escaped from Azkaban."

"Draco I'm scared!" Hermione hysterically screamed, hanging onto him desperately. She had a flashback of over the summer, when the war started without warning. Harry went for the Horcuxes with Ron, Hermione and Ginny, but after the 6th was destroyed, and when they went back to Godric's Hollow, the Death Eaters were there.

_"Hermione, take Avery!' Harry yelled, fighting of Nott._

_"STUPEFY!" a blood-stained Hermione screamed, blasting him against the cavern wall. Hermone and Ron had to get the others out of the way so Harry could get to Voldemort. Hermione looked over and saw Tonks battling another Death Eater and Remus doing the same. She was suprised when the Death Eater Remus was battling fired a KIlling Curse at Tonks._

_"HERE!" Remus yelled, sprinting into the way. He flipped in the air several times and landed on his back, dead._

_"REMUS!" Tonks cried, running to him._

_"TONKS, LOOK OUT!" Hermione screamed, but the other was too fast._

_"AVADA KEDAVRA!" the Death Eater behind her yelled. She was also flipped over several times._

_Hermione wanted to help, but she knew that was a job to be done. She ran behind the Death Eater._

_"Sectumsempra!" she yelled. The Death Eater fell screaming, with a gash through him. Hermione didn't care to listen to his suffering, she had already seen and heard too much. How was she going to tell Harry?_

Hermione blinked away hot tears. So many lives lost that night on Halloween. They tried to forget about the deaths; 4 members of the Order, all found dead. Only a few of the Death Eaters were dead, Narcissa and Lucius escaped with most of them. The Order was never the same for Tonks and Remus, the best of the Advanced Guard were dead.

"I don't want to see them die, not again!" Hermione said, sobbing. "There are only so many of us left!" Then she hit Draco's chest in frustration. "And you!"

"What did I do?"

"You just..you stood by and just stayed out of it! The whole thing! You stayed home like some wimpy baby when you could have been fighting with us! What's the matter with you?!" she said, pounding his chest with her fists in anger. He took her wrists and she looked up at him. Draco felt a bit guilty, by which instead of fighting with them, he stayed home alone, doing whatever he wanted. While Draco was having fun,Hermione was watching people die and fighting for her life.

"Stop fighting me!" he said. She closed her eyes and felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her. She sobbed and hugged him back.

"Shh, it's okay. It's not happening again, never again." He said in a soothing voice.

"It's not that I don't want Harry to defeat them, I just don't want him to..to..die." she said.

"I know.." he said, rubbing her back. "I know." Hermione dried her eyes with a hankerchief and kissed him.

"Thanks." She hugged him again. They head footsteps and broke apart and saw Nott running towards them.

"This is for you and the Mudblood," he said, spitting her name in obvious disgust, holding out a scoll of parchment. Draco raised his eyebrows and folded his arms, towering over the boy.

"What was that?"

"Er, for you and your...girlfriend." he said politely, his face had hatred etched through it. Draco opened the scroll and it read:

**_Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger,_**

_**At midnight, meet me in my office. I am sorry for the time , but this is urgent. There is a matter we need to discuss.**_

_**Proffesor Dumbeldore**_

_**P.S: I often like to buy Sugar Wands.**_

****"It's obviously about the escape." Hermione said, taking the parchment out of his hands. She turned around. "See you till then!"

"Where are you going?" Draco asked.

"Going back, where else?"

"Well," he mumbled. "I was hoping that you would want to...stay with me."

"Oh," Hermione said, putting a hand on her heart. "That's sweet! Okay, I will." He took her hand and they walkee d inside the Slytherin common room, which looked better than the dungeon setting on the outside. There were green and silver cutains, tablemats, and even some of the walls sported moving snakes. Hermione coulden't help but to shiver a little, for the room was cold, way colder than the Gryffindor common room.

"It's fine." Draco said, picking up on her fear. They sat down at the nearest couch in silence.

"So," Hermione said. "What do you...do here?"

"We just...sit and do stuff," Draco shrugged. "What do you do up there?"

"We play chess and study and talk and Exploding Snap and..' Hermione realized she was rambling and stopped talking. Hermione looked at the clock, and it was 11:30 already. They sat in uncomfortable silence.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I think I love you. No, I love you." Draco blurted out before he could control himself. Hermione's eyes widened. _'Oh dear God, he said he loved me! What do I say? What do I say?! Ok, Hermione, relax. Just say it back. Wait, what if I don't love him? Wiat, of course I love him!_

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_'NO! Ok, I didn't mean that. Maybe she won't say it back. She probably won't say it back. What if she does? DAMN IT!'_

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

'I didn't mean it." Draco blurted again. Hermione fellt and probably looked shocked and slightly let down.

"Oh, right, of course not." Hermione said, laughing nervously.

"What were you going to say?" he asked, shifting towards her.

"Oh.." she said. "Nothing."

"Are you sure about that, Granger?" He said, moving closer.

"Well," she said, gulping. "I guess I was about to say...it back."

"Hm,' Draco said, inching so close that their lips were mere inches apart. "Well what would that be?"

"I love you, Draco." she she said, blushing fiercely.

"I love you too, Hermione." Draco breathed. Herimione took hold o f the sides of his face and pushed him against her into a kiss. She moved closer and Draco put an arm around her. Hermione put a hand through his soft, light blonde hair.

"You guys just go at it whenever!' Blaise said and Ginny laughed at the doorway. Draco slapped his forehead in frustration. Hermioen blushed when she found herself on Draco's lap and one of her hands still in his hair.

"Do you guys have to come in every single time we are-what are you two doing together?" Draco asked. Ginny blushed and Blaise avoided his eyes.

"I-w-we.." Ginny stuttred, trailing off.

"We are officially going out." Blaise croaked. Hermione let out a high-pitched squeal and ran to Ginny.

"Women," Draco said, shaking his head.

"Oh my God, Ginny, this is so great!' Hermione said, beaming brightly.

"Yeah.." Ginny said.

"What?" Hermione asked a crestfallen Ginny.

"I'm sure that Harry won't want to be friends. He said he was fine with it,but.." Ginny trailed off worridly.

"Don't worry, he's just got a lot on his-oh! Would you look at the time!" Hermione said, pointing at the clock. It was already 11:50 and they were in the dungeons.

Hermione took Draco by the hand."Ohwe'llseeyoulaterGinnygoodnight!" They ran up the moving stairs, (Having to pause for when they changed) and sprinted up to the ugly gargoyle in front of the starcase that led to Dumbeldore's office.

"Potter's friend? And Potter's enemy? Together?" The gargoyle screeched with laughter.

"Oh, get off it, you're obsessed! Sugar Wands!" Hermione said angrily. The gargoyle scowled and lept out of the way. The jumped on the staircase and walked up it as it spun. They saw Dumbeldore with the calm expression on his face, sitting in his wooden chair in his office with the small trinkets and Dark Detectors.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy," He gestured with his blackened hand for them to take a seat. His face was filled with worry and pain, but his eyes remained peaceful and cheery. He cleared his throat, rubbing it above the hem of his purple and blue star spangled robes.

"As you know, the Death Eaters have escaped from Azkaban." He said calmly. "And some are loyal followers of Voldemort." Draco's stomach churned at this.

"And Mister Potter, as you know, is very protected at Hogwarts, but as for you, Mister Malfoy," he said with a sigh," you are in more grave danger than Mister Potter himself. I have informed news that...your father is after you and Miss Granger. He wants to kill you." Hermione gasped and turned pale. Draco began to shake, and Hermione could feel his hand geting sweaty. Hermione knew that being Harry's best friend also involved almost be killed along with him, but she was used to it, and proud of being by his side. But Harry wasn't the target, Hermione and Draco were. Hermione felt a tear slip down her cheek. She knew what was coming next.

"I don't know how to say this...Mr. Malfoy, you must pack tonight. You are leaving Hogwarts."

"Your being serious, sir?" Draco croaked. Dumbledore lowered his head.

"You are not safe. Your father was also in Slytherin, also knowing ways into the castle from the dungeons. Ms. Granger, however, shall be put under the best protection. She has the Gryffindor common room, which is far from the dungeons, and Mister Potter."

"He's my best friend, not a Dark Detector! Why does Draco have to go and not me?" Hermione cried. "..Sir?"

"Because you are safer here with everyone else. For Mister Malfoy, I can't say the same. Mister Malfoy could do a quick Imperius, am I wrong?" Draco gulped. No, his father never used it on him, but he had watched countless under his command with a lazy flick of his wand.

"It's quite complicated, but I must tell you. This move is temporary...as far as we know. The MInistry has made their descion. I 'm sorry, it is the best although.." he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Sir? is everything alright?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. But, you see, I know how difficult for young lovers to be seperated." Hermione turned scarlet.

"How did you-"

"I've seen things, heard things and I find it all very romantic." Draco was melting in humiliation. He didn't want someone a quarter of God's age telling him about love. (A/N: Happens in literally ALL my fanfics. Ok, just FtVS (From the Very Start.))

"Now, as much as I hate to do this, you must depart tonight. Please pack, say your goodbyes. Mister Malfoy, you are leaving Hogwarts tonight."

A/N: You guys hate me. 0-snicker-0


	12. Malfoy Manor

A/N: Author is too tired to think of a clever A/N.

"I'll miss you." Hermione said quietly as the Draco and Hermione walked outside, Draco's broom in hand.

"Yeah..." Draco said, uncomfortable with goodbyes.

"But what if you get killed? What if I get killed? What if you..you..miss your schoolwork!?!" Hermione screamed.

"Hermione! I am going to be fine!" he said, mounting his broom, holding in his hand a shrunken version of his suitcase. He looked up at the sky warily, for it was snowing and the wind was getting faster.

"I'm...Why can't I just come with you? Ginny and Harry and Ron can deal without me!" Hermione exclaimed desperately.

"No, you can't! You heard Graystache, I'm in more danger!"

"But I don't want you to go!" she gripped his arm tight, trying to blink back tears. Draco looked down at her with cold, stormy eyes filled with fear. Hermione realized he wasn't exactly living in courage. Hermione looked back with tear-welled chocolate eyes. Draco wrapped his arms around her into a hug as tears fell from her eyes and gently kissed her.

"Don't worry, Hermione. I'll be back I love you." He breathed into her ear softly. He looked up and the night sky and kicked off of the ground and flew into the night. Hermione silently blew a kiss at him and waved as tears slipped down her cheeks. She pulled her cloak over her quietly and walked though the snow-covered path as she walked past Hagrid's hut while walking inside and to Gryffindor Tower.

"Hinkypunk." Hermione whispered,and the tired Fat Lady blinked ominously and said, "Good luck." She walked in to see Harry and Ron stood in front of the door, arms crossed.

"Harry, Ron," she nodded towards them. "Well, I better be off to bed." She wasn't paying attention to why they looked as if they were expecting something from her.

"What is your problem?" Ron asked angrily. Hermione turned, confused.

"What?"

"Why Malfoy? Why not me?" Hermione froze steadily. '_Not this again..'_

"Because, I told you Ron. He's changed. You seemed fine with it befo-"

"Seemed, Hermione. Seemed." Harry said quietly.

Hermione gasped in realization. "It was all an act, wasn't it?! You were just being nice so I-"

"Finally, your brain is kicking in!" Ron shouted, throwing his hands into the air, turning from her.

She took two angry steps towards him. "What that's supposed to mean, _Ronald_?"

"You. Ferret Malfoy. Do you see any problem? He's a Death Eater!" he said hysterically. Harry just stood silently.

"He's not a ferret and if you don't like me descions, then leave me alone! Do you think I should give up something that makes me happy to make you happy?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other and nodded.

Hermione scoffed. "Well, I've never met a pair of people as arrogant and selfish as you two!" She turned and marched towards the steps to the girls' room.

"What about you, leaving with Malfoy? "Oh, yeah, Harry and Ron and Ginny will be better off!"" Harry mimicked, placing an emphasis of disgust on Ginny's name.

"Ok, maybe I was being selfish but it's not reason! Draco is right for me!"

"HE'S A BLODDY DEATH EATER!" Ron exclaimed.

"YOU'RE JUST MAD BECAUSE I'M HAPPY FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE AND I HAVE SOMEONE AND YOU DONT!" Hermione screamed in his face. Ron just glared down at her.

"Fine. If you're so better of without us, might as well wake up Ginny and tell her." Ron said.

"Oh no you don't," Hermione said, smirking and waving a finger. "You are NOT going to blackmail ME!"

"Doesn't matter what she thinks, the slut!" Harry said. Hermione's eyes widened as she turned to him.

"Harry! She's Ron's sister, how can you say that?!"

Ron snorted. "What's true is true." Then, out of nowhere, Harry was blasted back against a nearby bookcase. Harry staggered and got up and they al turne to the other sinde of the room where Ginny stood, wand out and a look of ultimate anger on her face. She walked over and Harry looked a bit frightned as her red hair swept back and forth quickly.

"Harry James Potter, we are over and you better deal with it!" she roared, wand pointing at her chest. Hermione looked and Ron had his wand on Ginny, edging near her with a wicked grin.

_'I cant belive I'm about to do this!" _Hermione thought, then held her breath and in a rush, ran at him and tackled him, sending him toppling over a chair.

"AHH!!" Ron yelled and Hermione and him rolled across the carpet. When they stopped, she was starddling his hips, wand raised.

"Go ahead and do it, I dare you." she said quietly, wand digging into his neck. Ron whimpered slightly and was frozen at her sides.

"Thanks, 'Mione." Ginny said. They both walked backwards, wands raised as they made their way upstairs. They both collapsed on Hermione's bed.

"Boys and dueling, ugh." Ginny said. "Did Ron actually call me a slut?"

"He agreed when Harry did, Gin, I'm so sorry." she said, hugging her.

"Nah, been called worse. So, I heard Draco left." Ginny said quietly. Hermione looked at her with glazed-over eyes.

"What? Oh, yeah." she said, trailing off.

"I'm sorry, I haven't even told, Blaise yet, he's going to freak out at that." Ginny grumbled.

"That reminds me, how is it with Blaise?" Hermione asked.

Ginny sighed. "It's kind of wierd, really, but I guess it's alright."

"I'm never going to see him again..." Hermione sighed too. Ginny then loked up in relization.

"Oh my God, I just realized! You get to come with me to my Mum and Dad's!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly. Hermione looked out the window and didn't realize when she was outside, there was snow on the ground. Christmas must had been at least a weeek away.

"Oh, yes, that's right! That's makes me feel so muh better!" Hermione said, brightining up a little. "Well, I'm exhausted. Going to the Burrow will get me time to catch up with my N.E.W.T.S studying. I'm so nervous!" Hermione began to chew on her nails, but Ginny jokingly slapped them down.

"Please, it's winter! Cheer up!" Ginny said.

" I'm going to bed." Hermione said abruptly, laying down on her bed and burrowing inside the covers. She dremt of her and Draco, studying together and ballroom dancing...

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The next morning, the weather was was gray, and everyone's attitudes were the same.

"Ronald." Hermione said promptly, sitting next to Harry and across from Ron. Ron grunted as if she hadn't said anything and Harry just looked away.

"Harry, is your scar feeling any better?" Hermione asked kindly.

"Actually, even since _he _left, my scar has felt fine." Harry said coldly.

"Oh. I see." Hermione said ,slightly let down.

"Don't you want to care about-" Ron started, but was cut off by a wailing Pansy, comign out of the doors. The teachers looked up and groaned. Dumbledore gave her the news of Draco's depart.

"DRAKIE-POO!" she wailed, running to the Slytherin tables and laying her head on an uncomfortable Blaise, who sat stiffly, looking at Pansy with bulging eyes. Ginny let out an audible hiss, eyes narowed, and Blaise looked up and winked at her which made her face turn the color of her hair. Harry just gave a cough and turned from the scene.

"Anyways," Hermione said akwardly. "I guess since you guys aren't talking to me, I'll see you at the Burrow."

"Uh, no, you're not coming." Ron said simply, digging into his Canadian bacon.

"What?!" Hermione and Ginny said in disbelief.

"Talked to Mum. She hates you." he said, pointing at Hemione. Her eyes unwillingly filled with tears as she got up and hurried away, tears splattering her robes._'Where will I go? My parents are going to the Carribean...and I'm going to be..all alone.'_

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"You bloody prat!" Ginny spat, taking a fistful of his hair and slamming it onto the plate. Harry gave a snicker and his eyes shot to Ginny. Ginny looked over and Harry blushed slightly, his eyes darting away as quickly as they came. Ginny looked fown is silent satifaction as Ron, his face red, looked up rubbing his face and eyes, covered in bacon grease.

"Ginervra!" he said angrily, but she was already gone.

"Look, I know how incredily horrendous Malfoy and Hermione are being, but where will she go?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I'm sure the Death Eater have a cosy tent for her." Ron said, dabbing his face.

"Hermione's a part of the Order and it would be a lie to say otherwise." Harry said sternly.

Ron snorted. "Woulden't be suprised if the stupid ferret makes her turn." A disgruntled Harry turned away, pretending to listen to a conversation between Dean and Seamus, but was really trying to stop hearing the ranting of a paranoid and bitterly jealous Ron.

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Hermione sat outside the Hall, crying. _'What am I supposed to do? Stay here? With a few people I probably don't even know? Ohh.._' she wailed more into her cloak. It had only been a day since Draco left, and she imssed his voice, his laugh, his smile, his touch and his kiss. She wiped her eyes when she thought she saw someone coming there. It was Blaise.

"Granger, this is for you." he said, taking a scroll out of his pocket.

Hermione sniffled. "Thanks." He handed her a hankerchief and she blew her nose. "All Slytherins are gentlemen, now?"

The door opened and he could see Crabbe abd Goyle fighing gover the last biscuit. Blaise sighed.

"For the most part, Granger, for the most part." he said, walking back inside. Hermione gave a watery chuckle as she got up and walked to Gryffindor Tower.

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It had been another couple of days, and Hermione was at her post, in the very back table, reading her books, alone as she did every single day sice Draco left, about a week. Ginny sighed. _'When is she ever going to be herself?_' she thought as she reached the Gryffindor. Ginny noticed her once shining chocolate brown eyes were quite dull, and her hair had never been frizzier amnd stuck out, from Hermione grasping it in frustration when she coulden't find the right book. She was not the same Hermione anymore, at least without Draco.

"Hi..." Ginny said warily. "Must suck when Harry and Ron don't say a word to you, huh?"

"And Hagrid too." she in a monotonous voice, turning the page of her book. She had seen Harry and Ron take off with Harry's cloak, and Hermione didn't want to talk to Hagrid. Ginny sighed and remembered why she was there. She put the book down from Hermione's face.

"I have some good news." Ginny said excitedly, rummaging through her bag.

"What?" Hermione asked in a bored voice.

"Well, Dumbledore said you can go to the Malfoy Manor for the holidays!" Ginny said, holding out a scroll from Dumbledore stating the same. Hermione's looked up from her book in disbelief.

"No..." she said, her excitement rising.

"Yes!" she cried happily. Hermione lit up, taking the book and shoving it into her bag, ignoring Madam Pince's screams from far away about not checking with her.

"Wait!' Ginny yelled, but Hermione did other wise, tripping over her robes as she ran to Dumbledore's office.

"Sugar Wands!" she said excitedly, and the gargoyle jumped out of the way and she didn't even wait for the staircase spin, she ran up. She coulden't belive it, she was going Draco!

"Hello, Proffesor, Gin-"

"Miss Weasley has told you about you allowance to go visit Mister Malfoy. But you will not be atthe Manr the whole time. You will be disguised and able to go into Hogsmeade." Dumbledore said simply, as if he was telling Hermione the time.

" Sir, thank you, thank you, when may I go?" Hermione said, her excitment bubbling to the surface.

He looked at some tiny, silver contraption sitting on his desk facing him. "Why, you can go tommorrow." Dumbledore said, amused by Hermione's joy.

"I should pack, shoulden't I? Oh, I can't belive it!" she said, and before Dumbledore could say another word, she was already down the stairs and bounding up the steps to Gryffindor Tower. She turned because she thought she saw Ginny when she ran headfirst into Harry.

"Uh!" she said as she landed on top of him.

Hermione blushed as she got up. "Er, I'm sorry." She helped him up as he brushed himself off.

Harry avoided her eyes and muttered something.

"What?"

"I said, it's nothing." Harry said louder, still trying not to look into her eyes. Hermione stepped towards him.

"What's wrong?" she asked kindly. Harry muttered something again.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said I...I miss you." Harry said louder.

"Oh.." Hermione said. "Well, what are you going to do about that, then?"

Hermione looked over her shoulder and thought she saw Ginny, or at least someone with red hair,b ut she shook it from her memory.

"Can you..er..stop going with-"

"Harry James Potter, how could you expect me to give something up for your sake?" Hermione asked angrily, putting both hands on her hips.

"And you!" she turned the corner.

"Hermione, don'-" but Hermione had already done it. Hermione groped the air for something silky and flat, and found it. She pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of Ron, who's cheeks turned pink from embarassment.

"I can not belive you two! My best friends for as long as I can remember, turning on me! Well, you can just forget it! I don't want to be around any one who isn't already happy for me!" Hermione stormed off into the common room. She wiped her eyes when she saw Lavender, Paravati and Ginny in the room.

"What's wrong?" Lavender asked.

"Nothing, Lavender," Hermione muttered. Lavender looked deeply offended and stuck her nose in the air, walking back downstairs with Paravati, saying, "How incredibly rude!"

"Well?" Ginny asked as she put some of her sweaters inside her large suitcase. Hermione explained how Ron and Harry had ruined their day.

"Ugh, boys. Don't worry, from mum, a couple of punishments for Ron and a long, _long_ lecture for Harry," she said their name with disdainfully. "it'll be fine." Hermione laughed.

"AHH!" they heard a voice scream from downstairs.

"Of course, some boy tried getting up here." Ginny sighed. She got on her knees and slid down the slide that was once a staircase. They saw Blaise at the bottom, rubbing his head.

"What are you doing here and how did you get in?" Hermione asked briskly.

"I wanted to see Ginny, but I didn't know that your common room would try to murder me." he said, rubbing his head. Ginny laughed and took his arm, and he craned his head to fgive her a kiss. Hermione was feelign very uncomfortable at this point; she didn't want to watch her friend and her boyfriend's friend make out. She realized that she would actually have to tell Draco she was coing. She ran past them, parchment in hand, to the Owlery.

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"You're a beuatiful bird, aren't you? You should stay in my common room instead of at home. Crookshanks would eat you, though.." she said worridly as she cooed at Hermes. She put her parchment on her DADA book and started to write.

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Draco sat out on the balcony, watching the snow fall in the daytime.

"Sir, would you like a butterbeer?" his house elf Misty squeaked. She was wearing a midnight blue pillowcase that hung on her skinny frame.

"No, Misty, but thanks anyways." he grumbled. He groped in his pocket and pulled out five Galleons, which he gave to the house elf.

"Oh, thank you, Master Malfoy, Misty is most pleased!" she squeaked in an even higher voice happily as she walked away. Draco sighed and stared outside some more when he saw an owl. he glanced at it, but ignored it and continued stargazing. Oh, how he missed Hermione. Her face, her laugh, her smell, her touch and her kiss, just everything about her. He was wake by his thoughts when the same owl tapped impatiently on his window.

_'I'm not supposed to have mail..'_ Draco thought as he let the bird inside. He tok the parchment off of the bird's leg and read the neat, curvy handwriting as the bird squawked for a treat.

_DM,_

_The headmaster said I could come stay with you. He also said we are permitted to a visit at Hogsmeade. I can not belive how excited I am. I will be there shortly._

_I miss you. I love you._

_HG XOXO_

Draco dropped the parchment in shock. Hermione? His Hermione? Coming here? To see him? He read it again to make sure it was his and was suprised at how much the letter was disguised. As he paced in front of the fireplace (the note didn't say if she was going by the Floo Network or on broom, but he figured from Hermione's fear of heights, she'd come on Floo) and wondered what "XOXO" meant, he also thought of his parents.

Narcissa was in Azkaban for being with his father, not for being a Death Eater. the more Draco thought of it, thew more he thought of her. She always defended him, to Draco's dismay, when other children would make fun of him and his name, and also defended him when his father scorned him. Draco gulped. His father was in Azkaban for so many murders, Draco could hardly count. He never wante dto admit that even though his father was proud when he had scorned muggleborns and halfbloods alike, he scared him. Often, those people died before his very eyes.

His father would never do the Cruciatus Curse on him, not at all, but there were moments when his anger got the better of him. His father wasn't a Dad, but more of a legal guardian, and even now it wasn't illeagal to leave him at home. He thought hee heard something, so he looked up and heard a excited voice say, "I'M HERE!" He ran towrds the fireplace from the kitchen and saw Hermione, a hand on her hip in beige pants and an argyle vest with a white buttonup blouse underneath. In tears of happiness, she ran towards him, buckled shoes tapping on the shiny floors. She jumped up and wrapped her arms and legs around him, almost sending him falling backwards.

"Draco!" she said, her voice muffled in his shoulder.

"Hermione." Draco said softly. "It's only been a week-"

"And it feels like forever." she said, finishing his sentance. He hurridly swept her into his arms and kissed her. It felt like eating a pepper, because her lips burned with excitment as they met his. He let go of her, and she felt as if fainting.

"Wow." she said softly. "It has been a while." Draco laughed and took her hand, clearing his throat.

"We are now going on the grand tour of the Malfoy Manor, home of the sexy, but taken," he winked at Hermione. "Amazing,smart, strong, notorious for being _the _hottest Slytherin around, Draco Malfoy!" he said, and Hermione impatiently whacked him on the chest. He took her hand as they went upstairs. Hermione almost tripped over the house elf.

"Hello, Missus, I'm misty the house elf." she said quietly, as if she had done it several times. She bowed. "How may Misty serve you today?" Hermione shot an angry look at Draco.

She cleared her throat. "If you didn't know, I am the proud creator of S.P.-"

"Misty, here," he said , putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out another Galleon. "Take this for your warm welcome." Misty's eyes widened to the size of the Galleon.

"Oh, Sir, thank you again!" she squeaked. She turned to Hermione. "Mister Malfoy pays Misty fully, almost every day!"

"Aww, well, that's nice." she said, bending down to her level to shake her hand. Misty tucked it into a pocket on her front and shook heartily back, her dark eyes shining in the light.

"Misty, if you go and get me and my friend some drinks, I'll build you a bigger bed, just for you instead of that old wine cellar." Hermione shot him a sconfull look for making her sleepin the cellar, but Misty didn't notice. She shook her head and almost tripped running to the other end of the hallway.

"So, let's move up, shall we?" Draco said, but they stopped as they heard footsteps behind them.

"Misty?" Draco asked, turing on his heel. But instead, they saw a girl with her hands on her hips. Draco's eyes widened as she let out a scream.

_"DRAKIE-POO, HOW WONDERFUL TO SEE YOOOUUU!"_

A/N: It all goes to hell from there, just so you know.


	13. The Nightmare On Christmas Pt 1

A/N: Um...review for the The Funeral! And sorry it's been a decade since I've updated, but no onee has reviewed and I'm trying out for the volleyball team, so...and I lost intrest in HP for a while. And started intrest in Panic! AT The Disco (Ryan Ross is such a sexy bitch. Seriously, an he has an amazing voice. ;) Ha, Im such a crazy fan girl.). So...yeah. And to make up for it, I am going to make this a two-parter. You guys are going to like it.

"PANSY?!" Draco yelped. Hermione looked at him with anger and curiousity.

"What is _she _doing here?" Hermione said through gritted teeth. Draco rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"She...kind..of lives here." Draco muttered. Hermione gaped at him silently, her lips moving but no sound coming out. She just turned furiously towards a smirking Pansy, hands on her hips. She turned back to Draco and smashed his bare foot with her black, buckled shoes.

"OWWW!" he screamed, holding his throbbing red foot and hopping up and down. Hermione huffed and stormed off. Draco fell back and watcherd as Pansy shrieked with laughter. Draco gave her a cold glare as she shuffled over.

"Aww, Drakie-Poo, are you okay?" she said in a baby voice,as if to comfort him. He snarled a mixture of swearwords and curses at her, getting up and limping away from her.

_'Stupid...ugly...disgusting..'_ Draco thought bitterly, trying to follow Hermione. He finally caught up with Hermione, who was lost, but looked like she woulden't admit it. She swallowed hard and looked around the room for means of escape.

"Hermione," he said gently, putting a hand on her arm, but she smacked it off, loooking at him with fierce eyes.

"How could you? I thought we told each other everything!" she spat angrily.

"You don't tell me everything!" Draco retorted.

"Maybe not, but if an ex was sleeping and staying in my house, I surely would have mentioned it!" Hermione shouted. Draco gulped. _'Damn, she's right.'_

_"_She's hardly an ex!" he muttered.

"What?" Hermione barked.

"She was hardly my girlfriend! She's probably slept with half the school in our year by now!" he exclaimed, and didn't knwo Pansy was right behind him, standing in the doorway.

"Oh, Drakie! How could you say that? Especially in the prescence of a Mudblood?!" Pansy cackled. Out of the corner of Draco's eye, Hermione sped past him at Pansy, arms outstretched.

"Hermione, no!" he yelled, putting her back as she lunged at Pansy. He held her around the waist as she clawed at the air, snarling like a deranged dog.

"Ooh, I'll get you!" she snarled, putting free of Draco's grip some more. Draco looked bewildered; he had never seen Hermione losing it like that before in her life. Pansy actually looked scared at the raging Gryffindor, so she scurried out of the room. When her footsteps were out of earshot, Draco let Hermione down. She cleared her throat, straightening her white button up and her argyle vest.

"Um, I'm hungry. I'll cook or something, I guess." she said, as if nothing had happened.

"What was-" But Draco was cut off by Hermione. She laned up and kissed him gently, making their lips touch as little as possible. When she walked away to her room, he touched his lips.

"Damn." Draco muttered, following her to her room. She had her wand out, putting her clothes in her closet and all of her bras and underwear in the drawers. The room looked deserted and old, as if no one had stayed there for a while.

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The room almost reminded her of Grimmauld Place; it was overly dusty.

"Do you like it?" Draco asked.

Hermione laughed nervously. "What if I told you I-"

"Exactly, you can stay in my room." Draco said simply. "Now, do you want to go to Hogsmeade?"

"Yes, of course!" Hermione said. "Let me get dressed!" Draco was about to leave the room, but Hermione held his arm.

"I'm changing, but you're not leaving." she said.

Draco grinned. "I like where this is going, Granger." He pulled up a wooden chair and crossed his legs, as if he were watching a game of chess. Hermione rolleed her eyes, smaking him on the head.

"OW! Well, you said it." he grumbled. Hermione sighed and took a deep breath, pulling her wand from her pocket.

"Just watch." She said. She picked up a mirror from her suitcase and held it up in front of her. She pointed her wand at her reflection.

"Hermione, what are you-" But she had already done it. Hermione muttered a charm under her breath. Her wand let out a silver streak at the mirror; the mirror glowed and instantly shone a blinding light on her. Draco shielded his eyes and as fast as Draco could blink, her apperance was different-completely different.

Her brown hair was at her mid-back, not straight but curly. She had green, startling eyes that shined with happiness. But other than that, she had black mascara was wearing a red dress. It reached her shins and had ruffles in the middle, really small where it tightned. It had a V-neck that wan't very deep in. She straightned her staps impatiently. She also had black stilletos that she bent down and pulled her shoe onto her foot more.

"What do you think?" Hermione asked. Draco just gaped at her. "I could do without the stilletos, they really hurt, bu-"

"You are...breathtaking." Draco said. Hermione spun around again, stumbling on the turn from the heels.

"Not you're dress." he said, getting up. "The fact that you know a spell that changes your entire appearance not using a Polyjuice Potion!" Hermione smiled.

"Please, it was simple." she said, trying not to show happiness, but a red blush appeared oin her cheeks. Me and Ginny are wrokign on it, you know, for the Order. there are some kinks, for example, the hair color, the body type, height. Now, it's your turn. Pick up the mirror and you might want to close your eyes." Draco did so, and saw through his eyelids the blinding light, and he opened his eyes to Hermione beaming. He looked in the mirror and touched his face.

"Wow." he said. He looked at him clothes; he was wering very nice dress robes, a formal black and white. He had on dress shoes also, black and shiny even in the dim light. His looked at his face. He wasn't pale anymore; he almost looked like a tan color. His hair was still blonde and the same, and his eyes were a blue, but still as dark as before. He actually looked mature while Hermione's had girlish features;it was if she were 15 and he was 20.

"Handsome." she said, pinching his cheek jokingly, but he just stared at her. "Get your wand." He pulled it out of his pocket and showed it to her.

"Here." she said, pulling up her dress on her thigh. Draco grinned, but stopped as he saw that her wand was starppped to her leg. "You know, just incase."

"Why are we doing this?" Draco asked stupidly. Hermione gaped at him.

"Oh, and with the DE's on the loose, we can both afford to go out into public!" she said sarcastically.

"Whats a DE?" Draco asked. Hermione blinked at him and Draco frowned. It's not like he's stupid.

"Death Eaters." she snapped before leaving the room. Draco rolled his eyes and followed her out as she trotted to the fireplace. Draco opened the sliver tin hanging from the other end of the fireplace, pulling out a handful of green, glittery powder.

"So, where to, m'lady?" he asked as he opened the door to the huge fireplace for her to go inside.

"Hmm, how about that tea shop, er, Madam Puddifoot?" Hermione asked. Draco gritted his teeth. He didn't want to go to some lovey-dovey tea shop on Christmas Eve! He wanted to go to the Hog's Head or The Leaky Cauldron, get drunk, make out with his girlfriend and-

"Well?" she asked sweetly. Draco sighed as he nodded. He cleared his throat.

"Madame Pudifoot's Tea Shop." he said clearly, droppign hte powder. Hermione linked arms with him as they both felt that pulling at their stomachs and bellybutton as,a couple minutes later, they appeared in the fireplace of Madame Puddifoot's. Hermione beamed as she stepped out and took a seat near the counter. Draco sighed as he threw his jacket over the chair and siting in it. The room was decorated with mistletoe, green and red streamers and they could hear a Christmas song blaring from above.

"ARGH!" he yelled. Couples around them looked over curiously, but Hermione looked away. A cherub above them had placed mistletoe on their table, and it caught Draco by suprise.

"Will you shut up?" Hemrione hissed. Draco shook it off and smirked.

"Mistletoe." he said quietly. Hermone rolled her eyes as she leaned over for a kiss.

_"_What would you like today?" a voice chirped out of nowhere. Hermione slowly brushed her hair out of her face and looked over to see a waitress, dessed like an elf. She was wearing a short red and green skirt, trimmed with white and the same on her top, a green white trimmed pocket in the middle of her chest. She had bright hazel eyes and blonde hair that gleamed.

"Uh, one coffee, no sugar." Draco said, tiltting back in his chair and eyeing her carefully. She smiled flirtatiously and sweot her hair back.

"Sure. And you?" she asked flatly. Hermione smiled.

"Hmm...one tea, one sugar cube, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, please?" She said politely. The girl sighed as if she would be anywhere but there.

"Comign right up." she said, and walked away. Draco gave her a once over as she walked away and Hermioen tapped her foot impatiently.

"Hm, well, she was rude." Hermione said.

"Actually, I'd have to disagree." Draco said slyly as he watched her talk to a brown haired girl across the room. Hermione gaped at him. Was he checking her out?

"What's the matter, jealous Granger?" He found himself calling her that again. Hermone blushed and shook her head fiercely. The girl came back with a silver tray.

"Here you go." she said happily, bending over so he could obiovusly see her chest. Hermione rolled her eyes and he blushed.

"Yeah...thanks." he said slowly, avoiding her eyes as she set the coffee cup in front of him.

"And you." she stood and dropped the tea on her side of the table, putting her hands on her hips. The tea splashed ont he table but thankfully didn't get at Hermione.

"Thanks." she muttered, taking her tea from the tray. She still stood, watching Draco eagerly as he drank his coffee. Hermione glared at her as she sipped her tea, blowing it every other moment.

"So...how do you guys know each other?" she asked hopefully.

"Um...well, we're.." Hermione's eyes widened. it would take Draco that long to say that they were in love?

"I think you're cake is done." she said, looking at Hermione. "And my name is Claire." she said, now turning to Draco.

"Mine is Charlie, its a pleasure." he said shaking her hand. She smiled with white teeth and walked away. Hermione just eyed the other couples, talking and having a nice time, but before either could say anything, she was back with a slice of the cake she had asked for.

"Here." she said, placing the place in front of her. She smiled fakely, grbbing a fork and cutting into it slowly. Draco looked around, trying not to look at her or Claire and to Hermione's horror, Claire stood next to him and handed him a card.

"If you guys aren't together or something, here's my card." she said flirtatiously. Hermione expected him to refuse, and tell him of his current status. But Draco shurgged and slipped it in his jacket.

"Thanks. Have a nice night!" Claire said happily. "That'll be 5 Galleons." Before Draco could do anyting, Hermione had slammed six golden coins on the table.

"Tip included." she said quitely. Claire looked at her as if she were insane and took it anyways, walkign back through the kitchen doors. Hermione's head was still facing downwards, and she woulden't look up as she ate thwe slice of cake.

"Jealous?" Draco asked, smirking. But to his horror, she looked up and saw hurt eyes. Hermione unwillingly let tears come to her eyes.

"I'm not hungry." she muttered as she took off to the fireplace, taking a bag of Floo Powder from all the little satchels that laid on the top.

"Malfoy Manor." she said quitely and with a flash of green flames, she was gone. Draco slapped his forehead. What had he done?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione cried out as she threw her sitlletos across the room. Draco have to do that to her; they weren't in their earlier stages where he would play games with her. She landed on the leathery couch, panting when Draco flung himself out of the fireplace and saw her.

"Hermione.." he said, but Hermione just shook her head.

"You can't charm your way out of this one, _Malfoy_." she said coldly as poissble. "why aren't you back there with Claire?"

"I don't like Claire, I like you." he said plainly.

"Really? Then why'd you have her number?" she shot at him. He pullled otu pieces of torn up scrap paper.

"You mean this?" he asked. She got up and stomped over to him, hiting his hand and causing the paper to fall to the floor.

"Listen to me, Draco! This isn't 3rd year anymore. If youre not serious, about me, about us, then I'm out that door." she pointed towards the front doors. "You and you're stupid friends probably used to play games all the time, they taught you well!"

"I am serious about this, and me and my friends never did stuff like that!" he spat angrily.

"Really, then I suppose it's Daddy that taught you a lesson in polygny!" she shouted. In a swift motion, Draco pushed her.

"Never, ever, compare me to my father, you bloody muggleborn!" he snarled at her.

Draco bit his lip as he turned crimson and avoided her eyes. Hermione backed away from him and turned around, trying to hide evident tears. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and to Hermione's surprise, she heard a choked sob.

"I'm not like him, I'm really not. I'm so sorry,sorry." Draco sobbed, muffled by her shoulder. Hermione was almkst brought to tears herself at Draco's sincerity;she had never seen him like this before.

She rubbed his back. "It's okay, I'm fine."

"I didn't mean to, I didn't mean it!" he sobbed again. "You're not a Mudblood, you're perfect, you're smart and beautiful and I'm sorry!"

"Yout didn't seriosuly hurt me, forget it." she said quietly. Draco picked his head up, clearing his throat and taking a hankerchef out of his jacket pocket.

"Hey...are you okay?" she asked. Draco nodded.

"Here." she got on her toes and tapped his forhead with her wand, causing him to change back. She did the same to herself as she tapped her foot, looking as if she were thinking hard.

"Hmm..I'm not sure how to do this... Misty!" she called out. Out of a puff of smoke, the young house elf appeared.

"At your service Miss Granger." she said, bowing.

"Can you find me any ice cream for me and Draco?" Hermione asked. "Er, chocolate chip cookie dough?"

"Yes, Miss!" she said and eith a snap she was gone.

"Why do we need that?" he asked.

"Comfort food." she said. "Wait here." He walked over to the couch and sat down and in no time, she was back with her suitcase. She set down floor, opened it and grinned.

"You have a TV and outlet, right?"

"Upstairs, in my room." she said as they walked up the stone steps and Hermione's wished she had left her shoes on, for the floors were freezing. When they reached the heavily snake decorated room, he pulled back a pair of sheets along the wall to show a flat screen TV.

"Here." she pulled out a DVD player out of her bag.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's a muggle movie player, i guess you could say." she shurgged and hooked it up with skillfully. She pulled a DVD out and placed it inside, picking up the remote as they down on her bed.

"What are we watching?" he asked.

"The ultimate love story." she said, grinnning. She turned on the TV and credits were starting to play for it. When the movie actualy came on Hermione smiled again.

"SO, what is this?" he asked, looking at the scene of a boy in glasses chasing a bus and kids on the bus laughing.

"Spider-Man!" she said. Draco squinted at her. (AN: I know Spider-Man didn't come out till about..what, 4 years this takes place, but please cooperate.)

About half an hour into the movie, Misty came with the ice cream and two spoons.

"Thank you." Hermione said, taking the ice cream from her.

"Tis Misty's pleasure." she said, bowing and evaporated away again. They sat up on the TV, watching the movie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione blew her nose profusely. Draco turned to her.

"Why are you crying _now_?" He asked impatiently.

"B-Because even though they were in love, he had to do the right thing and turn her down!" she sniffled.

"So? That Mary Jane kind of looks like a bitch if you ask me." he scoffed as Hermione playfully hit him on the chest and snuggled deeper in the covers.

"I'm going to get changed into my pajamas." she said abruptly, getting up. "Close your eyes." He rolled his and did so and after a couple minutes, he opened them. She was wearing a periwinkle blue nightgown that was ankle length.

"Ginny bought these for me, and i wasn;t sure if I should wear them.." she said warily.

"I think they are great." he said, getting up and putting a hand on each of her curves. She blushed and swatted them off.

"Keep your pants on, and get changed." she commanded as she got into the king sized bed. She closed her eyes also to be fair and when she opened them, he was wering nothign but green boxers. She felt her face turn from pink to beet red.

"Like what you see?" he asked. Hermione rolled her eyes as he went into the other side of the bed. He looked at the TV to see the paused scene with Mary Jane and Peter.

"She should suck it up." he said.

"Hmf, have compassion." she said, Instead of him replaying, he passionately kissed her, holding her face in his hands. When he let go, she blinked.

"What was that?"

"Well, A: You are wearing that amazingly sexy nightgown. B:I am wearing nothing but boxers. C:We are in the same bed. I think you can put the pieces together." She blushed as she felt arms wrap around her waist and his warm abs press against her. She turned around to kiss him goodnight, but held onto the sides of her face.

"Hermione...:"he breathed in her ear teasingly. She groaned in frustration. He was slowly getting to her.

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"Come on, guys, she's all lonely and sad." Ginny said, tugging at Harry by his sweater. They were at the Burrow on Christmas morning and Ginny wanted to give her her present in person. Harry and Ron reluctantly agreed to accompany her.

"Mum said we could go..."Ginny whined. Ron rolled his eyes as he walked inside the fireplace. She took a handful of green powder.

"Malfoy Manor." Harry, Ginny, and Ron all said. A couple seconds later, they found themselves there at the masion.

"Surprise!" Ginny called out, but no one replied.

"Not home, let's go." Ron turned but Ginny glared.

"Let's look for them, alright?" Ginny asked as they took more steps towards ther staircase. Ron coulden't belive how huge the mansion was. They reached the top and saw a door, where in golden letters it said, "Draco." Ginny was about to knock o the door when it opened. ginny dropped her purse and the present she was holding, and Harry and Ron gaped.

Hermione was in the doorway with a sheet wrapped around her she was holding up. Hermione blushed and gaped back at them.

"Who's there, love?" they heard a voice and from behind her. they looked over her shoulder and saw Draco, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Hermione wnced and smiled. "Merry Christmas."

"Must have been for you." Ginny said bluntly.

"Merry Christmas, Weasley..." Draco said. He saw Harry and Ron, looking fitting to burst. He hit his head on the doorway.

"Shit."


	14. The Nightmare On Christmas Pt 2

A/N: My caps lock is going to worn out. Ok, just kidding, I don't like caps lock that much anyways. And BTW, there are alot of sex-centered jokes in this one, belive me.

"Please tell me...what I think has happened...hasn't happened." Harry said, turning paler than Draco and grinding his teeth loudly.

"Oh, come on, Harry! You guys are 17, it's normal to have hormones, am I right Hermione?" a beaming Ginny poked her elbow in Hermione's chest. Hermione had a death grip on the sheet covering her form, her knuckles turining white.

"I...am going to...get some clothes on...now...Draco, will you join...me?" Hermione squeaked, slamming the door on thweir visitors. Ginny and Harry looked at Ron, who's eyes were wide and ears were red, but his face was incredibly pale. He looked like he was trying to say something, but coulden't get it out.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" a voice from behind said. They all whipped around to see Blaise, standing wearing a travelling cloak and holding three boxes.

"And this day just gets better and better." Harry said bitterly.

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"Oh God, oh God, oh God!" Hermione had a hand over her chest and her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. "What have I done, what have I-_what are you doing?" _Draco, instead of panicking was laughing heartily.

"Oh, man..."he kept on laughing and laughing, until, of course, Hermione slapped the side of his head.

"We have a problem here! my best frends now know that...that..." Hermione coulden't even bring herself to say the words as she got dressed in a white sweater and blue jeans.

"What?" Draco asked innocently as he also got dressed.

"You know what!" she snarled, which made him laugh even harder. Hermione opened thew door to see Harry and Ron, still standing like statues and Ginny in fits of laughter, along with Blaise.

"So...Draco..you..er.-" Blaise started, but Hermione cut him off.

"Stay for breakfast, would you?" Hermione asked meekly. Ginny nodded, Harry gave some sort of sign of agreement and Ron's eye just twitched. "So..that's a yes?"

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Ginny, Harry, Blaise, Draco, Ron and Hermione were all seated at the huge dining table, filled with eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, french toast, coffees and teas (thanks to Misty). They ate in silence, except for Ron, who drank about two cups of coffee, trying to being back the color in his face. Ther4ee was a very akward silence.

"You...you jumped his bones." Ginny whispered to Hermione, who laughed as she elbowed her. Blaise, next to Ginny looked like he was about to laugh. "Knocked boots. Shagged. Screwed. Tapped. Laid!"

"HANKY PANKY!" Blaise exclaimed, and Ginny and Blaise held their sides while they laughed hysterically. Hermione just put her forehead on the table, muttering something. Harry gaped at the two, and Ron turned green.

"OK, OK, STOP IT!" Hermione screamed. Her vioce was then the only sound echoing through the hall as Ginny and Blaise stopped abruptly.

"You guys what?!" they heard another voice scream. they looked at the end of the hall to see none other than Pansy.

"Ok. I'm leaving, me and Ron both!" Harry said, nodding to Ron.

"No, please don't go!" Hermione exclaimed. Harry and Ron stoped, sighed, and walked back to their seats.

"Well...do you want to open presents now?"Ginny asked quietly as Pansy cried her eyes out at the thought of Draco and Hermione doing...it.

"Suuuure." Hermione said as they all got up, walking back to the living room, where to her shock, there was a huge Christmas tree lit up in the middle of the room, along with two stockings hung up on the top of the fireplace. Hermione smiled, but Harry and Ron looked grim. I mean, how would you feel if you just found out that your best friend had sex with your worst enemy, especially if you used to go out with that friend?

"So, I think we should start with Hermione's presents." Draco said, pointing to about 1 large box, and 2smaller ones.

"I think Hermione's had enough presents for one night!" Ginny said, giggling quietly as Blaise tried not to laugh again. Hermioen shot her a menacing look as as she walked over to one of them, sliding in on the ground where they all sat. She undid the wrapping paper neatly to see a stack of Arithmancy and DADA books. Hermione smiled and tackled Draco with a hug.

"Thanks!" Hermione said into his shoulder.

"I get it, I get it, just..please...get off of me!" Draco wheezed. Hermione blushed when she saw Ginny and Blaise, staring at the couple as if they had grown an extra head. "Now, just open the others!" Hermione gave an excted squeal, almost tearing open the other one. It was a leather box. Hermione looked up at Draco, andhe just smiled back. _'No...way..he didn't...' _She opened it, and there was a set of blue flower earrings that glittered in the sunlight from outside.

"Oh, thank you!" she said. She was quite excited from the presents that he had given her, and opened the last one. It was a lemon vanilla scented perfume. Ron muttered something, but she ignored it.

"This smells great, thanks!" she said again. "Umm.." she said shyly, looking at Harry. "Did you get me...anything..Harry?" Harry gulped and nodded slowly, handing her a present. She gave a hopeful grin as she opened it. It was book (no DUH) and it golden curly letters on the front, it said: Hogwarts, A History:Revised.

"Harry, thanks." she said gratefully. Harry just muttered something and turned away from her to talk to Ron, Hermione just gave sad smile and set the book next to her.

"Open mine next!" Ginny said excitedly. Hermione took it;it felt soft. She opened it and it was hand-knit purse. It was black had the Gryffindor seal on it.

"Turn it inside out!" Ginny said. She did so, and it was green with the Slytherin seal on it.

"Since, you know, you're kind of..."Ginny trailed off, looking for as way to say it.

"I get it Ginny, thanks." Hermione and Ginny hugged while Blaise yawned and Draco clapped sarcastically.

"Bravo, bravo...now, open mine." Blaise handed her a box. Hermione looked at it questonably.

"Um...you got me a present?" Hermione asked unconfortably. Ron and Harry gaped at him as if to say _Do all the Slytherins like her now?_

"Yes." he said bluntly. She opened it and it was a book, except it looked new and a had a hard cover. SHe read the front, and it said: Defense Against The Dark Arts:Private Lessons. Hermione opened the first page but it was blank. Then, a tiny holographic person came out of the book, standing on the platform in the crease.

"Hello. Welcome to Defense Against The Dark Arts, Seventh Year N.E.W.T Level Private Lessons Advanced." the tiny woman, dressed in robes said. Hermione shut the book.

"This is amazing technology, I love it!" she said. Blaise smiled while Harry, Draco and Ginny scowled. Blaise had just one upped them. He smirked at them as Hermione flipped through each lesson it covers in the book.

"So..I guess that's all the presents?" Hermione looked at Ron for any sign of disagreement, but they all looked around. Hermione gave a small smile as they all exchanged presents with one another. Hermione and Ginny both chipped in to buy Harry and Ron a model of the Quidditch pitch, with actual working brooms that zoomed along inside of it. Blaise got Ginny a music box while she knit him and Draco a Slytherin scarf.(Ginny was floored when Draco got her a new broom,) Ron actually got something for Draco; it was a box filled with maggots and Butober pus. (RONALD WEASELY!"Ginny bellowed at the top of her lungs.) Blaise got Draco a Practice Snitch he would use while at home ("Boys and Quidditch." Hemrione sighed. Ginny glared at her. "And Ginny.")

"Here!" Hermione said, thrusting a box at Draco happily. He opened it; it was a ring with emeralds encrusted it, and a coiled snake on top.

"It's an antique Slytherin ring. I got it reserved but it was absolutely terrfying going to Borgin and Burkes, he almost woulden't sell it, the grump.." Hermione muttered thinking of when she stopped there on her way to the manor.

"I..." Draco was speechless. Hermione had a hopeful look on her face.

"I love it." he said quietly. In all the time he had Christmas, he had never gotten such an amazing present. "Thanks." Hermione beamed and gave him a quick hug.

"Well, I think it's it we should go, Ron?" Harry said, and Ron nodded.

"What's the matter, Weasley, mad because you can't get any?" Draco said, a malicious grin coming onto his face. Hermione shot him a hurt look;she coulden't belive he was doing this on Christmas.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Ron shouted at the top of his lungs. "At least I'm not a sick little ferret!" Ginny and Blaise looked on helplessly, and Harry and Hermione did the same.

"Well, then you're mad because you're a poor little weasel?"

"Oh, I don't know, mad that you're loser of a Dad's in Azkaban?" he asked casually. Hermione closed her eyes. That had done it. Another fight.

"Dont you say that me!" Draco said, running at him at full speed. Ron had anticipated this, and had his wand out, but before he could say anything, Draco had already run into him. Hermione had her eyes closed when she heard a gasp and a thud,and when she opened it Ron stood there, stunned. She looked to Ginny and Harry, who were pale is shock and Blaise, who was gripping the scarf tightly.

"What?" she asked, and Ginny pointed. Draco was on the ground, gasping, clutching his stomach. Hermione crawled over to him.

"What's wrong, Draco, say something!" he remove his hand, which was covered in blood. Ron's wand must have stabbed him in the stomach. Hermione's eyes widened in realization. She looked up;Ron was sputtering and dropped his wand in shock.

"Mione...I didnt.he ran right..." Ron choked out.

"JUST GET OUT!" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her cheeks. 'I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN! I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, _GET OUT!" _Before Hermione could utter another word, he was in the fireplace and out of sight.

"Oh, my God, you're bleeding everywhere.." she said. Draoc was still gasping, his eyes squeezed shut. She tunred to everyone else, still freaked out from shock. Hermione took her wand out and pointed it at Draco's wound.

"Draco, this is going to hurt, but just bare with me." Hermione said slowly. Hermione gulped; she was going to try to heal it with her wand, which was pretty dangerous considering she had never done the spell before. She pointed it at his stomach.

"Uh...damn, what was the spell..er.._Dolen Curatio!"_ little stitchings began to come out of her wand and he howled in pain. Hermione tried not to cry out herself as she finished the spell, and when she was done, he opened his eyes and tried sitting up. Hermione hugged him tightly.

"Are you okay? Are you alright?" Hermione asked with worry and Draco nodded furiously. "Good.." Hermione smacked him across the face.

"Oww!' Draco said, rubbing his face.

"WHAT THE HELL'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?!" she asked angrily before stalking off upstairs. He looked at Blaise, who shrugged.

"You did come after him, mate." Blaise said, fiddling with his scarf. Ginny laughed.

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Ginny looked down at her music box, watching the ballerina spin on it's toes. Blaise was talkign to Draco about how incredibly insane women are sometimes, and Harry was by himself, watching his mini Firebolt zoom around the quidditch pitch. Ginny had a thoughtful look on her face. '_Poor Harry, through alll this confusion, he's all alone, even Ron still wants Hermione..._' Ginny scooted closer to him.

"Hi."

Harry sighed. "Hi, Ginny."

"Um, are you alright?"

"Yes." he siad impatiently.

"Um...I just want to ask something."

"Yes?"

"Do you really think I'm a slut?"

"What?"

"Do you?" Ginny grimaced, waiting for his reply.

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "No."

"Oh, that's good then. I just wanted to know...if we..could still be friends..?"

"Yeah! I mean..that'd be alright."

"Great then."Ginny smiled again.

"Gin, I'm sorry for-" but Ginny shook her head and laughed.

"Whatever it is, forget it." Harry nodded. Then both looked down at the mini Quidditch pitch and laughed as the Comet Two-Sixty and Firebolt bumped into each other.

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"Bye!" Hermione aid cheerily as Harry, Blaise and Ginny left, the green flames vanishing. Hermione sighed. It was late afternoon when they left, nd after that days predicaments, she was exhausted.

"So, Miss Healer, do you want to go out?" Draco asked. Hermione had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Sure. Can we go to the tea shop again?"

"Noooo!"

"You owe me!"

"I gave you jewlery!"

"I saved your life!"

"Damn." Draco muttered bitterly, closing his eys and rubbing his head. "What about-" But when he opened his eyes, Hermione was already dressed and her appearance changed like the night before. He touched his head again, and felt the same short hair . "How did you do that?"

"Be more aware, Draco. Let's go to The Three Broomsticks!" she pulled him by his shirt into the fireplace, taking a handful of green powder.

"The Three Broomsticks!" she said, dropping the handful of powder. They walked out of the fireplace to the counter. The place was filled with old witches and wizrds as usual.

"Um, two firewhiskies." he said to the barman as he pulled out two glasses and handed them.

"Are you sure you should be drinking after your-" but Draco had already drained the glass. Hermione looked appalled at him. He looked normal until he started clutching his stomach in pain.

"Are you okay?" she asked as Draco winced. But he looked up and smiled.

"Another one please!" he saide brightly, looking happier than he had all day.

**_------------------------------------------------------------------_**-**_10 Minutes Later-------------------------------------------------------_**

"You are a preeeety laddddy, Her-My-Own-Nineee!" he giggled while kissing her cheek. Hermione looked uncomfortable and embarrassed as the plastered Draco leaned on her.

"Put the glass down, Draco." Hermione commanded, but Draco just giggled again, kissing her on the lips. Hermione coulden't deny the sweet smell of firewhisky on his breath was intoxicatingly good, but pushed him away. The pub started to empty a little, but was noisy still. While Hermione tried to ask the barman for a hot cup coffee to sober the drunken Draco, she saw flashes of red from outside. She looked over Draco shoulder and screamed, ducking. The door was blasted off of it's hinges and flew right over where they were sitting. People screamed and ran to the fireplace, trying to Floo themeselves out. Death Eaters walked in the door and towards the black haired girl ad brown haired man.

"Who are you and where is Draco Malfoy?" the first Death eater smarled, pushing his wand deep into Draco's chest. Draco just titled his head to the side, like he wasn't speaking English. After a couple of seconds of not replying, he was pushed to the ground, and passed out.

"Leave him alone!" Hermione called out fiercely, stepping away from the cowering crowd. The second Death Eater walked over and hit her, sending her flying into a table. She whimpered, slumping to the floor weakly. The Death Eaters laughed uproriously.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked quietly, her wand limply pointed at him. The first Death Eater folded his arms.

"We've come to send a message to dear Draco, but never mind." he looked his watch. "It's just been sent." and with that, they dissapeared in a swarm of black smoke. The people of the bar gasped. Hermione sitll stared at where they stood, then walked over to Draco.

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There was whiteness everywhere, and Draco's head hurt horribly. He saw gray, black, white, then black again until brown surfaced. He blinked several times and Hermione was above him.

"Hermione." he croaked.

"Draco...Draco, wake up." she said softly. He blinked again at sat up;they were at his house, in front of the fireplace. He looked at Hermione and was stunned; her eye looked as if it were blackened and healed.

"Are you okay?" he asked as everything came into focus. "What happened to you?"

"I'm fine. Death Eaters came, looking for you. I took care of it, but they just,er left." Hermione decided not to tell him about the hit she took.

"Oh..I'm happy you're fine." he said, rubbing his head. Hermione was frowning.

"You got drunk." she said angrily in an instant.

"Well, sor-!" he stopped abruptly, pointing to the wall in front of them at the top of the stairs. Hermione looked, and she saw in red letters, painted on the wall was a message that read:

**_Join us, or The Mudblood will be alone!  
_**

****Hermione stared at the wall. There was a long silence.

"That's not good." Draco said bluntly, turning to Hermione who was pale and had a look of sheer determination on her face, as if she were donig a hard Arithmancy problem.

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"You don't understand what this means?"

"Uh, no?"

"They're at Hogwarts!" Hermione said, pacing back down the stairs. She bent down to get in the fireplace, taking a handful of green, glittered powder.

"You're not-"

"Hogwarts!" she said, dropping the powder. The fgreen flames spun around, but she was still there. Hemrione looked around confusedly. The flames wrapped themselves around her, literally pushing her out of the fireplace. She stumbled out into Draco's arms.

"Thanks...it won't let me go to Hogwarts."

"How do you know that they're there?"

"Because...I just know!"

"On a feeling, please!" Draco scoffed.

"The last time I acted on emotion is when I decided to be with you, but that wasn't logic, now was it?!" she asked angrily.

"Oh, I see how it is! Just decided to have a little fun, huh? Pretend to fall in love, hmm?" Draco sneered.

"Well, for you, it woulden't be the first time to make someone belive you like them!" Draco turned away from her.

"Even if they were at Hogwarts, let them fight it out themselves!"

"Oh, just perfect! This role is fitting for you, of course, while over last summer while your Dad and his pals were destroying the Order, you stayed at home, being Daddy's little good boy!" Hermione said, taking a step closer to him with evey breath. Draco whipped around angrily, and before Hermione knew it, she was on the ground.

"Do not call me a Daddy's Boy, you disgusting Mudblood!" he screamed. He stared at her, panting for seconds before tears dropped from Hermione's eyes onto her lap before he had realized what he had done. She put a hand on her stinging red cheek.

"You...you hit me. You actually...hit me." she said slowly to him, as if she were trying to proccess it herself. She looked into his eyes to try to see some sign of apology, or regret. But all she saw were emotionless, gray eyes that stared back at her. Hermione just sat on the ground before picking herself up. Her brown sad eyes turned feirce and angry. She bit her lip, not looking away from him as she ran upstairs and down the hall.

Hermione ran till her knees gave way into Draco's room. She screamed in frustration as she took her suitcase, shoving everything inside of it. She saw the Spider-Man DVD and cried out and she shoved it into the case. He had hit her, and he had loved her.

What is love? Hermione also took her nightgown and shoved it into the case. Who hits you, especailly when they love you and protect you and they become the ones to hurt you in the first place? When she was done, ehr eyes puffy and red, she walked to the doorway where he stood.

"Don't go." he commanded. Hermione walked up to him.

"Move, Malfoy." Draco just stood where he was.

"I...said...MOVE!" Hermione said, and with all of her force, she smacked him with enough force to make him stumble to the side. Tears still streaming, she went to the fireplace.

"Stay away from me!" Hermione shouted. "I never want to see you again! The Burrow." she said, dropping the green powder, and in a flash of green flames, she was gone. Draco staed at the fireplace before dropping to his knees and burying his head into his hands.

Shit.

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A/N: Shizzle, shiznit. Can you belive it? I dont' think I've packed so much violence into one chappie. I knwo you guys have, like, a million questions, for example did Draco hit her on purpose? Yes. I knwo, you guys hate me, but his anger got the better of him. Meh. Crazy stuff in the next one, which I've already started.


	15. Breaking Up and Falling Apart

A/N: Hiiiii...review...(sob)

Hermione cried out, stumbling out of the fireplace. She landed in the living room, in front of Bill, Fred, Geroge, Charlie, Mrs and Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Ron and Harry. She was covered in ashes, her cheek turning purple as she collapsed on the ground. Mrs. Wesley came to her aid, along with Ginny.

"Hermione, what's happened?" Mr. Weasley asked, alding her shoulders as she sobbed.

"Get out of the way, Dad, It's a girl thing!" Ginny snapped, putting an arm on her shoulder. Harry followed from behind as they walked upstairs in the hallway.

"What's happened?" Ginny and Harry asked. She explained everything that happened.

"I'll kill him!" Harry roared.

"You'll do no such thing!" Hermione said. "Although I won't blame you if it comes to it..." Hermione winced for a second and subconciously pushed her hair behind her ear to show a bruise, smaller than her palm.

"I'll get Mum." Ginny said worridly, walking out and leaving Harry and Hermione in an akward silence. Harry glanced at her every other minute, but looked away when she noticed. They came back minutes later.

"_Episkey. _Oh, and I'm sorry, dear, for what happened. I bet you're starving, come for a bit of dinner, it's still hot." She patted her shoulder and shot Harry a knowing look, but Harry just nodded and looked away. He slid down the wall until his back was to the table, one of his knees up . Ginny loked at Hermione's suitcase and decided to unpack for her. The whole time she felt someone watchgin ehr, but ignored it. She turned, and Harry was looking straight ahead in a daze, but she still sat next to him.

"Ginny?" he croaked slowly. She turned to him, and a tingling sensation swept over then both.

"Yes?"

"Are you scared?" Harry blinked slowly. Ginny smiled grimly and took his hand.

"Yes."

"'Cause I'm scared too." Harry admitted, bowing his head slightly, not looking away from Ginny.He snapped up his head when he felt her hand hold his.

"You don't have to be strong for all of us." she said. He nodded distantly. He gave a lopsided grin when she blushed furiously. She got up and was walking towars the doorway.

"Gin?"

"Hmm?"

"I..just...have something to say." Ginny felt her body tense.

"I do too!" she said, excitedly. He looked a little confused.

"Yeah, can you tell your Mum II'll be down in a little?" Ginny looked dissapointed.

"Oh..sure, of course."

"What did you want to say?" he asked curiously, but she shut the door behind her. Harry hit his head on the wall. Damn.

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"I just coulden't handle it, Hermione!" Ginny said, gripping her head. Hermione and Ginny were in the bathroom talking about earlier events. "He was there, with his stupid, horriblly handsome face and green eyes...I can't take it anymore!" Hermione sighed.

"Listen...you are with Blaise and since you see Harry and not him for a while, you're becoming attracted to him as you were before. So, ask you're Mum if we can go to Blaise's so you can visit him."

"Oh, yeah, she'd really agree!" she exclaimed. "Other than the fact the Blaise was almost kicked out of the house for going out with a 'blood traitor'!" She sighed and looked up at Hermione, who was sitting on the counter. "What if I'm falling in love with him again?"

Hermione rubbed her head. "That can't be good. You should just bring out your feelings for him, and then, hopefully when it's out of your system, your feelings dissolve."

Ginny nodded. "I think he's still in my room, I'll go and try now." She got up and trudged sadly across the hall where he still sat. She bent down next to him.

"Hi." she was now sitting where she was again. He was silent.

"Listen, Harry.." she motioned to the bed and they both sat down. "I know you're feeling lonely and sad because everyone seems so paired up now, and I just wanted to let you know that I will always be there for you." she said softly. Harry looked at her with, to Ginny's surprise, teary eyes. She kissed him on the cheek, but Ginny moved his head and they she ended up kissing his lips. The kiss lingered, but she pulled back and walked out as fast as she could.

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Hermione tapped her foot several times. Sure, it was alot of emotion to deal with, but come on, a whole half hour?! She rolled her eyes, opening the bathrrom door and going across, opening the door. Harry sat there, inncoently, grinning like an idiot. Ginny was in the bathroom already acintg as if nothing had happened. But Hermione, as always, could tell.

"Whatever happened to dissolving your feelings for him, and confessing?"

"Well, i-it was hard to tell him." Ginny stuttered.

"Really? I had no idea with his tounge stuck down your throat! What were you thinking?" she asked.

" First, it was an accident, I was going to kiss him on the cheek! And second, I don't know, what about when you were cheating on my brother?" she asked angrily. "I didn't see you writhing in pain because of that!" Ginny's face was swept over with horror as tears came ot her eyes. She walked up to her, pointing a finger in her face.

"Ginervra, do not tell me what I had to go through! Have you ever been hit by someone who loved you? Or watched him flirt in public when you two are together, but apparently it was a joke? Have you ever slept with a guy for the first _bloody _time then left him the next day? I didn't think so!" And with that, she slammed the bathroom door shut, and left for her room. Harry was gone, thankfully, so she slid into her bed , going under the covers. Could her day be any worse? Fighting with Ginny, fighting with..him, fighting with Ron. Ugh, Ron hadn't talked to her all night! She snuggled deeper until she dozed off, thinking thoughts about beating Draco with a pitchfork...

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She woke with a flash of light. She thought she had seen something, but maybe not. Yawning and getting up, making sure not to bother Ginny, Hermione sneaked downstairs and into the kitchen. She yawned, looking into the tiny fridge they had gotten a couple of months ago, from a bonus Mr. Weasley got at the Ministry.

She saw a tub of Mrs. Weasley's home-made ice cream,and decided to have a scoop or two to calm her from her dreamless sleep. She sat down at the kitchen table, scooping the ice cream into a bowl and trying to melt chocolate on a pan to pur onto it. When she was done, she sighed with contempt. A basic hot fudge sundae.

"Didn't know you were a fan of junk food." a voice said from behind the table. She turned in her seat to see Ron walkign to the fridge and pulling out the same tub of ice cream.

"Oh, hi, do you want any..?" she pointed to the chocolate and he shrugged, getting some baking chcolate of his own to melt on the stove. When he was done in a matter of minutes he sat down next to her. While she dug into his ice cream(she hadn't ate anything for a while), Ron stared at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. Hermione looked up at him.

"I guess." she said, clearing her throat and looking away from him when she felt his and on hers.

"And Mione? Merry Christmas." he said. They looked up at the clock;only two minutes of Christmas left. That sparked sometihng in Hermione's memory.

"I got you a present, two; I'm not sure if you want them, they're books." Ron rolled his eyes as she took off upstairs, taking them out and came back down. She handed them to him and he stared at it, blinking every the two so often.

"Well, the first ones is a collectors book." she opened it to find deep indents in each page to keep Chocolate Frog cards, with names and stats next to each indent. "And the second one.." She pulled it out from under it. "Is a guide for Berite Bott's Every Flavor Beans for all the flavors." She opened it, and beans with the flavor names next to them appeared. "And everytime you open it, the beans replace themselves, but the charm last for about year, so I guess free flavored beans till next Christmas! Did you know that there are only 100 in production, and it's 70 galleons to have the book re-charmed? Of course I did some reading on it, and-" Ron looked up at her and grinned as she blushed at her ramblings.

"This has to be the best present you've ever given me." he said. "One that has nothing to do with homework!" Hermione laughed.

"Yeah, I guess." They ate their ice cream in silence.

"Hermione, I'm sorry for way earlier, it was an accident, i swear." he apologized. Hermione nodded.

"He kind of deserved it anyways..." Hermiont said, puttign her dish in the sink.

"Night. Er, morning." he said, and Hermione smiled. They were finally back good terms.

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Stupid, stupid, stupid. Draco shook his head as he slept around. he kept having dreams abotu the Dark Mark, his father and mother, and an angel who wuld save the day at the end of his dreams. Weird thing was, everytime the angel appeared in his dream, a shot of pain went through his foot. He felt so alone; even with Misty, who he let stay with her family most of the time, he was lonely. He needed someone; he needed Hermione. Then, he lifted his head off of the bed, when he thought he had heard a whisper.

A swirl of black smoke appeared at the foot of his bed. He yelped as several Death Eater's appeared, one of which took off his hood.

"Ah, Draco." his father smirked as he sat down at the edge of his bed. "Long time, no see." Other Death Eater's chuckled softly. "You've grown."

"Thanks, Dad." he sneered. "Why are you here? I could call the Order right now, with a flick of a wrist!" He took his wand from the nightstand and brandished it threatingly. but Lucius just laughed.

"Comfindent and strong-minded, just like your father." Draco scowled. He hardly wanted to be like him. "But by the end of the conversation, you might not want to do that. You see, I knew of your...predicament...with the Mudblood earlier, and I'm surprised and proud you put her in her place." Anger rose up inside of him. "So I will give you a chance. Join us now, and we will help you become the next Dark Lord...well, in three generations, perhaps."

"I can't..I made a promise to...to Granger." he muttered. Lucius still had a pleasant look on his face.

"Then break it. Would you like to know what Granger is doing? At this very moment?" he pulled out his wand and pointed it at a nearby mirror. The mirror reflected black, but he was surprised to see a clear picture of Ron holdng Hermione's hand in the middle of the night as they talked. Of course, he let go when she went upstairs, then came back dwn and watched as they talked excitedly, but he coulden't hear what they were saying.

"Granger, Granger, all huddled up and cozy without you in that gopher hole. What a griever, hm." Lucius tutted, shaking his head.

"You can't make me do anything!" Draco said, outraged. "You-Know-Who is gone, so you can forget it! He can't hurt me!" At first, Lucius looked mad, but then scared as he dropped to his knees as did the other Death Eaters.Draco turned white, hearing rough breathing in earshot. And the next thing he knew, he was being pulled by his arm into darkness.

"Am I, Draco?" a voice cackled from behind him, echoing. "Am I?"

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Someone screamed loudly that awoke Hermione with a start. She looked at her watch; it was 10:00. It must of been the ice cream that made her sleep in. She ran downstairs to see Mrs. Weasley crying hysterically.

"Right under our noses too!" she wailed, and Mr. Weasley huggd her as everyone else chatted worridly. Harry, Ginny, and Ron had all still been in bed.

"What's happened?" Hermone asked. The group of people turned to her, just realizing her presence.

'Hogwarts was attacked last night, it's not safe to go now." Hermione gasped. She had been right. Her head spun and her feet felt light. She swayed slowly on the spot, but then, everything went back ot normal.

"I-Is anyone dead?" Hermione stuttered. Bill looked at Mr. Weasley and they both shook their heads. Hermione let out a relieved sigh. "I'll go and wake Ginny, Harry and Ron." Hermione turned on her heel. Of course, _he _had something to do with it. The arsehole always did.

"What do you theenk we should do?" Fleur asked Mr. Weasley.

"I don't know...but for now, the kids stay here, no questions asked."

"Stay here?" Harry asked from the doorway. They turned around; Harry, Ginny and Ron were all awake, standing at the doorway.

"Yes, do you expect you'll be accepted back with open arms?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"No, there's something happening out there and I-" instant pain shot through Harry's forehead and he collapsed. The Weasleys crowded around him, askign what was wrong and helping him up. Harry slapped his forhead, as if to decrease the pain.

"He's..." Harry closed his eyes. "No..." Harry opened them. "Voldemort's back." Ron blinked and shook his head as if little birds were bothering him. Bill paled and Fleur gripped Bill's hand. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed un-fazed, but the rest of them were silent and terrified. "And he's happy...happier than he's ever been in his life."

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"Etiam, boy, Etiam!" Voldemort roared as the young boy under the hood screamed in agony. His Dark Mark was being crafted on with a lighting-shaped silver shot coming from Voldemort's wand. When he was done, the boy panted and joined the others, who stood outside of the circle nervously. It was very dark, and the boy shivered as he shifted his feet through the snow. Even through the robe he wore, he was still cold.

"Come, young one, into the circle." he pointed to the smoke ring around Lucius and Voldemort. The boy nodded and bowed down to him as Volemort started the ceremony.

"Operor vos spondeo pugno nobis in vultus of obviam ire?" Voldemort asked in Latin.

"Etiam." the boy said slowly.

"Operor vos votum iuguolo qui obviam ire nos si they invado nostrum via?" he asked.

"Etiam." he repeated.

" Operor vos spondeo ut exsisto fidelis ut vestri tantum vinco?" he asked.

"Etiam." the boy shook his head, trying not to sweat.

"Tunc mortalitas Eater vos vadum fio!" Voldemort cried happily. The smoke turned from a peacful blue to a blazing green. He pointed his wand at him.

"Show me your arm." he raised his foerarm, and Voldemort placed his wand abouve his wrist.

"Permissum is puer gero vestigium of malum quod ruina in suus armo..Permissum is puer gero vestigium of malum quod ruina in suus armo.." he chanted. He waited for pain, but felt nothing. But then, the same charm that looked like a lightining bolt comig out hit him. In detail, moving up his arm, he felt the ink being spewed into his skin. He screamed from the excruciating pain as he finished it. Still bowing and sweat leaking off of his brow, he stood, his head still bowed.

"Take off your hood and take a look at who you are." he lifted his head and watched as the snake coiled around in the skull. He took off his hood and Lucius smirked.

"You are now one of us!"

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"Great, just great." Ron sighed. "I'll live at my parents house forever." Hermione put her head down on the table. What were they supposed to do? They were not to join the Order by the end of this year and...and oh no, Hermone just remembered! N.E.W.T.S were, what, two, three weeks away! At least a month to catch up on all of her classes. She pulled ot the mini tutor book Blaise had given her out of her purse. She had better catch up as soon as all of this is over...

"Harry, are you feeling better?" Harry had repeated over and over that he was fine to everyone else; then he let out an slow groan before slumping off of his chair and onto the floor.

"Harry!" Ginny yelled, kneeling down next to him and slapping his face gently. Harry didn't repsond.

"I'll get him to the couch." Ron took out his wand and levitated him unconcious body to the couch. The three kneeled down next to him, and Hermione put a hand on his forhead. She was alarmed; he was really heating up.

"Get some ice!" Hermione commanded, and Ginny ran to the fridge. When she returned with some ice wrapped up in a blanket. Hermone put it on his forehead, but not for too long that he would get numb. What if he had a fever and they coulden't get help?

"God, everything is falling apart!" Ginny cried, and Ron gave her a sympathetic look.

"Gin, in the end, everything will get much better, I promise!" Hermione said half-heartedly as she dabbed Harry's forehead. After a couple of seconds of silence, Harry stirred.

"Harry! Oh dear God, I almost thought I...I.." Ginny burst into tears, and Ron and Hemrione stared at her ,shocked. She didn't usually cry out of nowhere. She rested her head on Hermione's shoulder as Harry dizzily sat up.

"Erm...I'm fine, Ginny...I've gotten used tot he idea of passing out every five minutes." Hermione grinned, but her face turned serious the next minute.

"What happened?" Harry explained the kind of flashes he ha of Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and kids their age getting Dark Marks." Ginny was still wailing when The Weasleys came out of the fireplace hurridly.

"What's going on?" Mr. Weasley demanded. Harry sighed as he explained what had happened and what he had seen. Mr. Weasley paced around the room, thinking about what to do next.

"All we can do now is send you back to Hogwarts...if needed, today. The Hogwarts attacks were minor; but it's not safe here, with order members. Albus and Minervra are at the school, you'll be fine. So...I tihnk it's best if you pack up now." They nodded and went upstairs slowly, Harry trudging behind them.

"It's hard to stop and think about what were going to do next, you know?' Ron said from next door and they all nodded.

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it? We go to Hogwarts, do out N.E.W.T.S, then-"

"For God's sake, Hermione, there are more important things at stake!" Ginny yelled, cramming another shirt into the suitcase. Hermione looked appalled.

"I was just saying that's what we're going to do if not anything else," Hermione mumbled.

"Hello, there, you just-of-agers!" Fred grinned from the doorway.

"Fred, George, I hadn't even said hello!" Hermione said.

"It's alright-" George started.

"We know about how you-"

"Kids really like to-"

"Fall in love and-"

"Break up!" George said. "But no offense to you, Hermione." She managed a smile.

----------------------------3 hours later-------------------------------------

"It feels good to be here." Harry said happily as he sunk into the sofa cushions more. It felt good to be back with old pals and teachersat Hogwarts. it was quite late in the common room.

"Hey, Harry, Hermione." Neville nodded to both of them. "Did you hear? My Gram says I'm not supposed to say, but..you know the new DADA teacher? She was gone for a while after the first class with her; she let the Death Eater's in and she's one herself! Never expected it, huh?" Neville said in a hushed voice.

"Never...let's not think about it now. But this isn't over." Hermione said quietly and Harry nodded.

"Well, over Christmas, Dumbledore had probably gone mad. To console everyone, he's announced a dance!" Hermione shook her head and Harry grinned. Even after all of this, Dumbledore is a light as a feather when it comes to these social events.

"Great, worrying about a date too!" Hermione exclaimed as she turned to Harry. "Do you want to go with me as friends?" Harry blushed, but not at what she had said. "Actually, I've had my eye on-"

"Please...don't." Hermione pleaded. "I know about what probably happened in that room, and I'm begging you...it's just not safe."

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to keep in his embarrassment to no avail as his cheeks turned rosy.

"You know what!" she snapped. "Just...we don't need Ginny to have a bad rep for Slytherins and Gryffindors, she'll seem like a slut! Please.."

"Ok, but if she makes another move on me-"

"You'll refuse until she definately can prove she's in love with you and that includes breaking up with Blaise." Hermione said, petting Crookshanks; Luna had watched over her when she was gone and being a smart cat, followed her back in the common room.

"I...fine." Harry sighed and went back to the boys dormitories. Hermione slid deeper down on the chair when she saw something on one of her Transfiguration books. She pulled it out slowly, and wasn't surprised it was adresseed to her. She cautiously opened it and read the letter inside.

_Tonight. Right now. Shallows of Forbidden Forest._

Hermione folded up the letter.What if it was a trap, and some random DE was trying to capture her and Imperio? She got up. There was only one thing to do now. She snuck quietly upstairs to the boy's dorm. Seamus, Harry and Ron were already sleeping. Hermione grimaced; it smelled like the Quidditch changing rooms. Hermione wiped her brow Harry's suitcase was thrwon to the side, only his pajamas missing and all of the items sprawled.

Hermione got on her knees and sifted through it and gagged; she saw a pair of his boxers hanging out of the side. Grimacing as she kept looking, she felt the silky material between her hands and grinned as she snuck back downstairs , taking off into the night.

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The night was fairly cold, so she bundled up; a hat, sweater, jacket, gloves and a scarf. She shivered as she walked past Hagrid's Hut. She didn't see any lights on. _Strange, _she thought as she crossed over into the forest. She took small, carefull steps, trying to get her feet all the way to the feet as she shuffled through the lank underbrush.She saw a man in a dark hood and faltered. Maybe it was a Death Eater! She gripped her wand as she approached the figure.

"Hi?" the figure was startled and whipped around. Hermione raised her eyesbrows in surprise. She saw black, long hair blowing in the wind from under the hood as the person took it off, and it was Pansy, pale and shivering.

"Granger." she said. Hermione took off the cloak.

"Pansy? What are you doing here?" she asked. Pansy just shook some more. Hermione felt remorse for her;she actually looked terrified.

"I have to tell you something." Pansy said seriously. "Do not go near Draco, not ever again."

Hermione scoffed. "Still mouring over your lover? Belive me, I won't."

"Listen! He...well...I can't say, it's not safe here.." Hermone's arms dropped to her sides. Hermione coulden't belive it. Pansy was being civil to her?

"I've been ordered by him to send a message to you. He said..well, here." she handed her a scroll of parchment. She looked down, putting under her cloak.

"Hey, th-" but Pansy was already gone. Hermione rubbed her hands together and walked back to the castle, thinking of what had shaken Pansy so much.

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She sat, crossed legged, on her bed. Impatiently pulling her hair into a ponytail to almost no avail, she unrolled out the scroll. She saw fancy handwriting.

_HG_

Hermione gulped and read on.

_First things first. I'm sorry, too sorry to be sorry and I know I can't have you back, but I've accept that. At least, now I have._

Hermione felt tears come to her eyes. What had he done?

_I've done something. Something as bad as doing an Unforgivable Curse; that's the right word. It was unforgiveable. Voldemort's back, for one thing. And he's been recruiting. He wants a rematch with Potter. In other words, it's going to happen again._

Another war, a third war?

_They will come after Greystache's big social event, a couple days when you guys have your defenses down. And one other thing. I've become a Death Eater._

Ink ran down the paper as Hermione's tears ran thick down her face.

_If I can't have you, I have nothing to lose. I shoulden't have hit you. You were everything to me, and now I'm left with noting but the mark of evil upon my arm. At this point, the way things are going, I might as well be dead. I feel dead._

"No, don't say that!" she cried out, as if she were talking to him.

_If you're reading this, after that war that's been planned, invasion and all, I'm probably dead. Surprise, surprise. I wish. that would have been easier. I cared for you, and you left. I feel betrayed, decived, like you were happiness on a string that dangled in front of me, and when I got to it, it only lasted for so long. _

"But it's not true, I loved you!" she exclaimed, remembering to say 'loved'.

_Then, you were happy again, not that I expected you to be sad forever.It was almost like you were...like you healed instantly and threw me away like trash and moved onto your next pick. Some wounds never heal. I saw you, all happy with everyone but me. Like I was dead to you. Like the thought of me was invisible, not existent at all. Like I didn't matter. Like what we talked over, laughed over never happened. _

_I thought getting over you was easy, I've liked girls before. I thought you were othig special, ust another girlfriend, just another crush. But it was the hardest thing I'd ever done, and am still doing. It's like there's a lump at the bottom of my heart where you used to be. I'm not sure why I liked you so much, but I did._

_You made me feel like I mattered. And now, nothing matters._

_I've accepted my fate. I love you. I will always love you. DM_

A/N: Wow, that was hard to write. You see, in the 5th and 6th paragraph (not including the "HG" thing) There was some truth in that. I kind of feel that way...so, review, I guess..:( Oh, and by the way here's a translation of the Latin:

"Do you promise to fight with us in the face of opposers?" Voldemort asked in Latin.

"Yes." the boy said slowly.

"Do you promise to kill the opposers that get in our way?" he asked.

"Yes." he repeated.

"Do you promise to be loyal to your only master?" he asked.

"Yes." the boy shook his head, trying not to sweat.

"Then a Death Eater you shall become!" Voldemort cried happily. The smoke turned from a peacful blue to a blazing green. He pointed his wand at him.

"Show me your arm." he raised his foerarm, and Voldemort placed his wand abouve his wrist.

"Let this boy wear the mark of evil and destruction on his arm.Let this boy wear the mark of evil and destruction on his arm.." he chanted.

A/N: It may not be accurate,I tried to reverse translate, and I got different words, but all the same meaning.


	16. The Next Morning

A/N: I was surprised of how many of the people that reviewed thought it was so sad...hell, I didn't. Heh.

"Leave me be, Ginny." Hermione mumbled from under the sheets of her bed. Ginny still bounced on the side of her bed, pleading like a four year old, "Get up get up get up get up get up get up get up!"

"No.." she said. It had been the Friday morning after she had read the letter, and Hermione was devestated.

"Tell me what's wrong!" Ginny said louder, into her ear form under the covers. Hermione's arm stuck out and pointed to a scraggly piece of parchment in the corner. She heard her getting up, then silence.

"Oh, Mione. This is...bad." Ginny said.

Hermione shot up, flipping the covers away from her. "Thank you, Captain Understatement!" She pulled on the hem of the sheets and laid back down, pulling them over her.

"Welllll, at least you have the ball to look forward to. Hey, ask Ron to go with you as a friend!" Ginny said, but then just heard an angry wail. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. Don't go to the Ball and have a marvelous time." Hermione shot up again, her bushy hair sticking up in all directions.

"You, Ginerva Molly Weasley, are not going either."

Ginny looked outraged. "You're not my Mum, I'll go if I bloody well want to!"

"Well, I am your friend, and as your friend, I shall force you not to go unless you go with Blaise, and that's that!", she said, flipping back under the covers. "Seriously though, Ginny, I don't want you making a mistake that you will regret for the rest of your life." Hermione said, her voice muffled from being under the covers. Ginny sighed.

"It's not a mistake!"

"But you are not cheating on him!"

"I won't." Hermione sprung up again.

"No, I said you _are not cheating on him!"_ she said through gritted teeth. Ginny nodded slowly.

"Now that that's settled, theres only one thing to do!"

"Yes, and what's that?"

"Shopping for the Ball!"

"No, oh, no no no no! There is a war coming, I just got..", she didn't exactly know how to put it. "I just..um...and N.E.W.T.S are coming!" she said. "It's January, Gin! N.E.W.T.S are in-"

"February for you guys, and it's not my test! Now, come on, the dance is-"

"Two weeks, I know, I know! I'm not going. That's that. I don't even have anyone to go with!"

"Ron!"

"I am not going there again! I am over Ron, he is over me, and that's that! It'll be confusing and akward and the last thing I need to worry about is all that drama and looking nice and I just don't want to go!" But Giny hadn't replied. She slowly lifted her covers. "Gin?" SHe looked around the fot of her bed nervously. Out of nowhere, a cloth came over her head and she screamed. It had another end and it was shoving it over her tank top. When it stopped, her found herself wearing her school uniform shirt and Ginny, standing above her, smirking.

"Now that you have a shirt on, get up! Harry and Ron are downstairs, waiting for us!" Hermione reluctantly got out of bed and got dressed to be dragged downstairs by Ginny.

"What was taking you guys so long, I'm staving!" Ron groaned. Ginny pointed to the mess Hermione was that day.

"Hermione, what happened to..you?" he asked, looking at her tired, hazy eyes, her hair sticking up in different directions, and her clothes, wrinkly and messily put on.

"This happened to her." Ginny handed them the parchment, and Hermione feebly tried to tell her not to;Ron would explode over something like that. Harry and Ron read it.

"Woah, Mione." Harry said.

"I knew it!" Ron said triumphantly. Ginny's eyes shot daggers at him.The usual fire in Hermione was lit.

"What? You knew what? That...that..he was a Death Eater? Well, congragulations, you big arse, you were right!" Hermione stormed off, towards the potrait hole and down the hall.

You see what you do to her?" Ginny scolded before going after her. Ron lookd at Harry, and he shrugged.

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Hermione wiped away her tears before walking into the Great Hall. Why was everything in her life sudeenly plummeting away from her into Hell? Where had it all gone wrong? She saw the usual spot for her and her friends, and sat at it, bored and waiting for the food to appear. She turned around on the bench took a sharp intake of breath.

It was Draco, sitting right next to Blaise.

Hermione tilted her head in slight confusion and shock. She thought he was harmed, or even worse, dead! But she did note he looked sicker and paler than ever; they both did. Hermione turned back around. What was he going to do? What was she goign to do? She coulden't possibly survive any of her classes with him! It'll be too painful; Hermione already felt a pain at the bottom of her suggesting she still felt hurt. What was he doing here? Should she let him stay here, or have him expelled by telling Dumbledore? She was startledwhen the food appeared on the large plate in front of hrt.

_'I'll just...avoid him at all costs. I mean, if he loves me, he knows he'll let go of me, right?'_ Hermione thought. Ginny,Ron, and Harry joined her moments later. Ginny sat down and looked from across the table to the Slythern table.

"Is that.." she asked. Hermione nodded slowly. Harry and Ron gaped at Draco,. who was shivering, even though it was fourty degrees outside and sixty inside.

"We've got to tell Dumbledore!" Harry got up, but a Hermione rested her hand on his forarm, pulling him back down.

"Leave him be." she said softly. Harry looked outraged.

"Mione, he's a Death Eater! He could get his buddies in here! I know you guys have a history, but-"

"But look at him. He's gone through some crazy stuff, so why can't we just stop the drama and leave. Him. Be." she said softly staring at him. Harry sighed, sitting back down.

"Well, what are we going to do? He's dangerous Hermione, no matter what you say." Harry said pointedly.

"I know, just give him some time. He's just...not now. We can tell Dumbledore about the invasion, but that's it! Promise me you won't spill!" They all nodded.

"May-maybe Blaise'll know something about it." Ginny said. Harry scowled, and Hermione kicked his shin, which made him manage a smile.

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Draco shivered again. It felt like Death had walked past him. He looked over his shoulder to see a frantic Hermione, looking around nervously, trying to smooth out her hair with her hands.

"I feel-"

"Dead, you've said that three times this morning!" Blaise said impatiently.

"Yeah, well, I do!" Draco retorted.

"At least your girlfriend-" Draco shot him a cold look. "I mean...Ginny won't even talk to me now." he looked across the room. "She's all buddy-buddy with Potter."

"I can see why, ever since-" But Blaise shushed him.

"Your father said not to talk about that." Blaise warned, and he just rolled his eyes.

"Why not? I think the whole idea is thick-headed. For example, why do I-"

"Shut up!" he nudged him as Pansy slinked over to him, and on his lap.

"I missed you, Drakie!" she purred before starting to kiss him, or from anyone else's perspective, sucking on his face. Draco made a disgusted face as he shoved her off, causing her to land on her bottom.

"Drakie, I thought you-"

"Unless the rest of that sentance is 'loathed me with a fiery passion that I had no idea about', then you thought wrong!" She got up, and sobbing, she ran away. Draco smirked hearing the snickers of Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs. But his attention remained on Hermione, she just gave a dissproving look at Pansy as she ran out, then cracked open her book. Draco frowned. He didn't want to see her again; it was too painful. He had to ignore her as she ignored him. That woulden't be easy.

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"Pour the liquid carefully inside of the pot." Proffesor Sprout said as the class complied. Hermione shook her head, wiping her brow; N.E.W.T.S practice work was getting harder and harder. They were trying got grow a Mantrasarsomething or other, a plant that looks deadly, eats meat, and laso looks like a Venus Flytrap, but is actually harmless.

"Steady, steady.." she said to her self as she picked up the tea kettle in which they had to break open the monstorous sized seed, which was full of red and blue liquids and poured it into the soil carfully. Hermione frowned as Pansy leaned over to her.

She whispered in her ear, "He really cares about you, you know." Hermione was startled and spilled the kettle all over the ground floor. People screamed and flocked away from her as little green plants, almost miniature of what they were supposed to look like, sprouting from the ground.

"10 points form Gryffindor, oh!" Proffesor Sprout said as a plant stated to bite at the hem of her robes. Hermione blushed as she grabbed the hedge cutters on the table, bending down and carefully trying not to get bitten, she cut them off one by one until she accidently reached Daphne Greengrass's foot, where she smirked as she bumped into the hegde cutters she was holding, seding them flying across the greenhouse.

"Nice going, Granger." she cackled. She looked even further up to see Draco, staring at her with obvious distaste. Arms at her sides, she walked back and picked them up, placing them where they belonged. Hermione got another kettle and went backt o work. She looked across the room to see Draco helping out Daphne, smiling and her, outstandishly flirting with him. Hermione scowled, and saw Pansy, who did the same.

"Stupid Mudblood, can't even pick up a pair of scissors." Daphne she said to Draco, and she stalled, dropping it on the table witha loud clang.

Draco had nodded. Hermione, finding a new found fire lit inside of her, walked up to her. She towered above her, but Hermione wasn't scared.

"You have something to say, Mud-" but Daphne coulden't get her sentance out. Full of anger and hatred she had punched her.

"Oh!" Daphne collapsed, clutching her face. Hermione coulden't help but to smile with self-satifaction;that is, until, Draco was nursing to her, asking what was wrong. This just made her even madder.

"Miss Granger, go to-!"

"McGonagall, I know!" she said furiously, slamming the door. The class looked shocked as she cstomped down the hallway, screaming swear words and throwing up her hands.

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"I'm surpised at you, Miss Granger, for such irresponsible behavior! 50 points from Gryffindor! Now, you have detention, 5:00!" McGonagall handed her a slip. She sighed, erh shoulders hanging. walking out of her office. She hadn't meant to blow up, but she just...

"Real nice, Granger." she heard a voice snicker as her books tumbled to the ground. She turned and saw Draco and Blaise both snickering loudly. Hermione sighed. Back to square one.

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"Wow, Hermione, never would have seen it coming!" Ron chuckled, managing to fit another biscuit onto her plate.

"Yeah, it's like you've absorbed Harry's temper, he's been a little happier!" Ginny exclaimed. Harry scowled, but they coulden't help but to laugh at the remark.

"But I didn't mean to!" she said defensively. "I...er...um.."

"Don't try to hide it, you got mad, exploded everywhere, and Draco saw it." Ginny said, looking slightly crestfallen.

"What? What's the matter?" Hermione asked.

"Blaise hasn't talked to me since he got back, do you think he wants to break up with me?" Ginny asked.

"Let's hope not." Harry muttered.

"Maybe he's just...scared of what his father's going to do now that he...is back." Hermione said, knowing this was not most likely.

Ginny sighed. "I guess. Hopefully he'll ask me-AH!" Ginny yelled. A black owl had dropped a piece of paper onto her head, and it slid off onto her face. She took it off, reading it.

_**Ginny.**_

_**Seeing you at the Ball would be a sight to see.**_

_**If maybe I could see it, I'd hope it'd be with me.**_

_**Blaise.**_

****She blushed a deep red, looking across the two tables that seperated them. Blaise winked at her as he pet the black owl on his table.

"Well, never mind that." she said cheerily. "Are you going to eat that, Seamus?"

"Sounds cheesy and last-second to me." Harry said under his breath as Seamus passed Ginny a roll.

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"Absolutely disgusting!" Hermione said as she zapped off the wad of gum off of the floor and into the basket. "This is not trash can, ugh!"

Out of all the detentions, she had to wash the floors in Potions, the non-magical way, taking care of everything, from spare bits of parchment to things considered biohazards in the Muggle world. She heard a string of swearwords and fumbling at the door, when she whipped up, almost slipping on the water and soap that covered the midle of the floor. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut in anguish. It was Draco, slamming his bookbag on the table. He saw her, blushed, and took a brush, scrubbing the floor slowly in even beats.

"What are you in for?"

"You make it sound like prison." Draco muttered back. "I...I pushed Pansy off of me when she was trying to eat me, and since everyone who's friends with my father is in support of the Draco/Pansy campaign, he gave me muggle washing in his room."

"I..well, you were there." Hermione mumbled again.

"Nice...nice punch." he said. Hermione smiled and blushed.

There was a long silence, until hermione was nearing the middle and her robes were moved from her knees, causing her bare skin making her land flat on her face. Draco stifled a laugh, but stopped and turned a bright red, stairng straight at her. She cocked an eyebrow and looked down at her shirt, blushing. Her chest was completely exposed through her shirt, cause of the soaking wet floor.

"I'm going to-" But Draco had swept his cloak around her shoulders. She tugged it around her as he scrubbed the floor some more. She felt a smal splash as she bent down and frowned, splashing Draco slightly back. Draco smirked and slashed her some more. Hermione, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, cupped some water and poured it on his head. Draco shook as she tried getting it off of his head, a smile appearing this time. He took the soapy sponge and threw it at her, laughing.

"Oh,you!" she said, trying got stand up, but slipping onthe suds again, making her land on him.

"Ah!" she scrambled off, her face crimson again. Draco straightened his wet shirt and and she stared at him; to his surprise, she looked distraught.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She gave a fake smile before looking as if she were crumbling, landing on her knees.

"No! I just...just want to say...you are the one that I want to want, but I...I can't! I thought not liking you was easy, but it's not! You're always there, doing things, saying things! I don't want you doing that, or saying anything! Why are you always saying things? And now, you're supposed to be nobody but I just can't stop staring at you when your saying things, you and I want to turn my head but I can't! And I just want it all to stop!" she cried, shaking her head. Draco looked speechless, and was all the same.

"Hermione...I don't...know what you think, but we..." he trailed off.

"How could you say that?" Hermione asked, shaking her head. "In the letter-"

"In the letter I was feeling emotional, but now, I don't. I don't." Draco repeated, a smug tone in his voice. Before he could say anything else, she threw the cloak on him, running towards the door and out.

She slammed the door, her chest heaving, shaking her head, grabbing at her hair and screaming as loud as she could to vent. How could she had been so stupid, confessing right there and then? Hermione walked through the empty hallways to the common room, where she might be able to clear her head. Slytherins hissed at her as she rolled her eyes, covering up her chest when she heard one of the girls behind her talking to the other.

"Lucky Daphne, huh?" the blond one said.

"Yeah, I mean she manages to bag the one and only Draco Malfoy." she said dreamily.

As you can imagine, this didn't go over so well with Hermione.

She ran from the scene to the common room, running past Harry and Ginny and upstairs, into her bed. She felt as if she coulden't cry anymore, just huddled up into ball in her bed. She felt someone tapping her leg before Ginny lifted the covers slowly, just stopping at her neck. She looked at Hermione's pale and stoic.

Ginny gave a sad sigh. "So you've heard, huh? I expect Ron and Harry are having a field day.." Ginny looked over and shifted uncomfortably.

"Leave me alone, Ginny. I just want to be alone." Hermioner said flatly. Ginny nodded and she heard her walking downstairs. Hermione was lying, she didn't want to be alone. But she already was.

-----------------------------------

Ginny sat down, looking at Harry, who was gulping down pumpkin juice as if he were trying to break a world record and Ron, trying to fit as many biscuits in his mouth at once.

"I'm worried about Hermione." Ginny said abruptly during dinner, and Ron and Harry stopped eating.

"What's mwater wit er?" Ron asked through a mouthful of food.

"Haven't you heard," Ginny lowered her voice. "Draco asked Daphne Greengrass to the ball, and she said yes." Harry choked on his pumpkin juice, coughing. Ron almost looked like he was going to throw up, but sadly swallowed the food down.

"Poor (cough) 'Mione." Harry said, trying to wipe up his mouth and front.

"I know, what are we going to do about that?" Ginny asked worridly.

Ron shurgged. "At this point, what can we do?" Ginny gave him a scornful loook, but he was right.

"I think there's only one thing we can do. We have to talk to Draco." Harry and Ron choked again and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Stop being such drama pixies, 'Mione's hurting. We have to talk to him, it's the only way." Ron and Harry exchanged dissapointed looks. "But you must keep your anger under control! We'll corner him when he's going downstairs to the Slytherin room, i know the way."

"And how would you?" Harry asked suspiciously.

Ginny blushed. "I just do, come on, he's leaving!" They saw Draco talkign to Blaise as he swung his bag onto his shoulder and walked out. Ginny, Harry, and Ron followed him a couple feet away.

"Here." Harry said, pulling his Invisibility cloak from his bag, sweeping it over them. They squatted to kept their feet hidden as they got on each floor. Draco didn;t seem to notice their prescence, except for a couple turns around to make sure no one was. When he got 20 feet from the entrance, he stopped walking and turned around, causing the three to topple over.

"Weasleys, Potter, can you tell me why you've been following me?" he asked, arms folded. "I just came from a detention."

"We wanted to talk to you about Hermione." Ginny squeaked as she stood, the wind knocked out of her from Harry falling on her.

The color drained from Draco's face as he turned. "There's nothing to talk about."

"We know. We read the letter." Ginny said. "Why are you doing this to her?"

"Doing what?" he snapped. Harry got in front of her, but Ginny pushed him back.

"She still loves you, and youre just...what are you doing?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing, okay? It's none of your buisness anyways, how did you get that note?"

"Hermione gave it to us,and right now, shes in a ball on her bed,feeling like she wants to jump out of the window." This made a feeling of numbness sweep over him.

"Listen, we have a history, I must admit. But, I just don't want her anymore. When she left, she accepted the fact we're not...together anymore." his voice wavered, but he cleared it, trying to keep it steady.

"But she want you. She needs you. I've never seen her this sad, she loves you deeper than any of us could imagine. And when that love turns to poison, it'll take so much time and effort to drain it out. Please, just talk to her, just say something, pull her out of her pit of despair..." Ginny pleaded, but Draco shook his head.

"At this point, Granger is nothing to me. Nothing. And you can tell Granger it was her mistake to think otherwise."


	17. The Long Shout

A/N: Gosh, I'm bored. And I hate A/Ns. I don't even have anything I want to say. I was, like, banned from my computer for, like, 3 days, and I'm sick and I'm mad. Grar. This chapter should be happy, to counter my mad sickness.

"What?" Hermione asked, snapped out of her daze and dumbstruck.

"Well, do you?" he asked nervously, shifting his feet.

"Uh, sure. As friends, right?"

"Yeah." he said confidently, and Hermione was relieved.

"Great. See you late tonight, Ron." she said, and he walked back up the steps, and into the boy's room. After a week of going from class to class, coming back, not going to dinner and just spending her nights reading or being alone, Hermione was happier now that Ron had asked to the Ball, as friends of course. Ginny had just walked in and gave Hermione a confused look.

"Well, that's the first smiled I've seen out of you all week! And the Ball is in..." Ginny paused for a moment. "Three days!"

"Yeah, and Ron's just asked me. As friends." Hermione said reassuringly. Ginny gave a thoughtful look.

"Hmm, you know what we need?" Ginny asked. Hermione rolled her eyes and prepared herself.

"We..need...to-"

"Go shopping." she said flatly as Ginny clapped her hands excitedly. "But we don't have to." Ginny stopped clapping.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, crestfallen. A smile started tugging on the sides of Hermione's lips.

"Welll.." she said slyly. "I sent a letter to my Mum, and she said she would buy us some dresses."

Ginny beamed. "Really?" She slung her arm around her as they walked out. "Never will I scorn you're planning skills again!"

Hermione jokingly raised her nose. "Too right you won't."

"I wonder what the dresses look like.." Ginny said dreamily, but stopped. "Wait a minute...if you sent the letter yesterday.."

"Yes, Sherlock Holmes, I was planning on going."

"Yes!" Ginny said excitedly and so loudly that a group of Ravenclaws passsing by exchanged confused and scared looks. From these Ravenclaws, Luna drifted towards them, smiling.

"It's been a while since we've talked, how are you?" Luna asked Hermione and Ginny, although her dreamy eyes were in another direction.

"It hasn't been very good, well, up till now!" Hermione said brightly.

"Oh, is it because of who Malfoy's taking to the Ball?" she asked, blinking several times. Hermione shifted uncomfortably.

"W-Well, possibly." Hermione stuttered. She hadn't had very good experience with Luna's habit of saying uncomfortable truths.

"Hmm. Well, who are you going with then?" Luna asked.

"Ron, how about you?" she asked.

Luna's eyes grew wider, and her smile grew along with it. "Neville. He was so nervous, it was quite funny. But I said yes anyways. He's very sweet once you get to know him. But I already know him. I have to go now.." Luna seemed to have floated away.

"I swear, that girl is _weird._' Ginny said as they watched Hufflepuffs stare at Luna as she started humming loudly, swinging from side to side.

"So, what do we do now that we have the old you back?" Ginny asked.

"Library?" Hermione asked.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Okay, I was thinking the Owlery."

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"Is this your bird? Is this your bird? Is this your bird? Is this yo-"

"Ginny, the owl will be here in a while!" Hermione exclaimed. "Now, what are we going to tell Dumbledore?" Ginny and Hermione were leaning against the wall of the Owlery, hands rubbing together worridly as the once snow-covered bench dripped in water.

"I don't know, we can't show him the note." Ginny said in a loader voice as owls hooted, coming in and out of the window.

"I know we can't do that!" Hermione said, her face reddening. "But we have to tell him the truth."

"Yes, but there's another thing to take into consideration."

"And what's that?"

"The fact that you still love Draco and you don't want him being sent to Azkaban." Ginny said quietly.

"You and me both know that I do not feel anything for him, Gin!" she said, furious.

"I'm just saying that would you want him at Azkaban, dead, or would you want him to be safe?" Ginny asked earnestly. Hermione looked down, scowling.

"I don't want him dead, but I don't want any of us dead either! We have to tell him sometime, or else!" As soon as she finished her statement, an owl came through the window and perched in front of them, hooting loudly. Hermione looked at the tag of the nicely wrapped box she had dropped on the ground.

"Thank you." Hermione said, giving the owl a bit of feed and petting her as she squawked again, and flew off.

"It's ours, isn't it?" Ginny asked, her giddy attitude evident. Hermione looked at her flatly before unwrapping the blue and pink wrapping paper, opening the brown carboard box. She unravveled the dresses parallel carefully, and Ginny gasped.

"Think my Mum got it right?" Hermione asked, worried that Ginny woulden't like them.

"They. Are. PERFECT!" Ginny squealed. The word "perfect" echoed and rang throughout the Owlery, causing birds too sqawk and fly in all different directions above the two girls. They ran out, yelling and covereing their heads as their talons grabbed at the air.

"Thanks, Ginny." Hermione panted as soon as they got downstairs. Hermione carfully folded them and put them in her beg quickly.

"Tonight will be...wow!" Ginny said dreamily. "Let's do our makeup, and-"

"Ginny, you're scaring me."

Harry was dragging himself along the other side ofthe corridor sadly. Hermione and Ginny hurridly walkd over until he noticed her. "Feeling better, Hermione?" She nodded vigorously.

"So, who are you going with to the Ball?" she asked. Ginny was off to the side, pretending to look at herself in her pocket mirror, trying to avoid Harry. Harry waved his hand as if to push the idea away.

"I'm not, er going tonight." Harry said.

"Don't tell me you have no one to go with!" Hemrion exclaimed.

"Nah, just...lack or motivation." he said, shooting a look at Ginny who blushed and hid behind Hermione more.

"I think...hm..Parvati is free, Lavender, that one girl Romilda-"

"Each one train wreck of obsession after another, forget it!" Harry muttered.

"Come with me and Ron, we can go as a group!" Hermione said, trying to keep up enthusiasm in a dull Harry.

"Hermione, it's just time for me to accept I'm, er, going to be alone at the ball." Harry said, heaving with a sigh as he left. Hermione looked over her shoulder at him worridly.

"I'm worried about Harry, you know, Ginny?" she looked back at her who was still staring at Harry. Hermione poked her, and she was stil walkin, looking back at him. Hermione looked at her. Her bright blue eyes was glazed over, the top of her cheeks reddening. "Gin?"

"You know what, Hermione?" Ginny asked, looking up at her helplessly.

"What?" Hermione asked, but Ginny didn't reply,but took her arm, leadingher around the corner and into the common room, and upstairs. She sat down on her bed, staring at her dresser as if she were tryig as hard as she could to figure something out. Hermione surveyed her before seizing her shoulders.

"Gin, look at me. Now, what were you talking about?" She asked.

"Sometimes...sometimes, Hermione, I wonder if I ever made the right choice." Ginny asked, laughing with a sad look on her face.

"Don't do this, Gin. This is what I did, and I lost it all, you don't want to lose everyone." she said warningly.

"But that's just it, Hermione! I'm not you!" Ginny exclaimed, shifting out of her grip. "And Harry is not Draco!"

"How can you say that? I know he's not Draco, you can't compare! And I'm just saying I don't want you-"

"To maybe think that I can be smart, think for myself and not make the same mistakes you did!" Ginny said, getting up, walking out. Hemrione sighed. Just great. She looked at her watch: 8:30, dinner. She trudged downstairs.

'_I am pretty excited about the ball, but I just...what's so exciting about this? Going to a ball with my best friend, only days before this school goes under fire! If I don't say anyitnhg now, It'll be all my fault!'_ By the time she had said this, she was already running towars Dumbledore's office.

"Pretty little girls can't guess passwords.."the gargoyle chuckled, leaping in her way. Hermione took a step back, sighing, and said, 'Sugar Wands.' The gargoyle scowled, leaping back. Hermione gave a smirk and walked up the steps to see Proffesor Dumbledore behind his desk, turned towards the wall.

"Sir?" she asked, tapping on the wall. He turned, and the lines in his face lifted into a smile.

"Miss Granger, how wonderful to see you. Please be seated." She sat down, nervously smoothing out her skirt. "To what do I owe this visit to?"

"Sir...I have information that Death Eaters will invade Hogwarts in...well, by tommorow." Hermione gulped. But the expression on Dumbledore's face seemed pleasant.

"Well, is this information correct and from a reliable source?" he asked lightly. She nodded. "Hmm. I will take this into consideration and alert the Order. Now, go. Prepare for the ball and have a lovely time." Hemrione nodded again and prepared to leave. When she was halfway down, she stopped,and went back up quickly.

"Sir, I just wanted to let you know...I don't think Draco Malfoy should be a canidate to consider for the Order. He's not trustworthy." Hermione said confidantly.

"Ah. I trust you, Miss Granger, and since you know him, you're judgement. I will also consider that. Good-bye." Hermione left, but was worried why Dumbledore wanted her to leave so badly, and why he wasn't at dinner. Thinking that people will be wondering why she wasn't at dinner, she hurried to the Great Hall.

Spotting out Harry, she sat down. "Hi, guys. So, I've told Dumbledore. But he seemed so worried." Ron clapped her on the back.

"Great!" he said uproariously, biting into a chicken leg. He was overexcited to go to the Ball with Hemrione, obviously. Hermione grinned, taking a leg form the same plate and putting it on hers. As Harry, Hermione and Ron chatted, she sighed. It was finally back to normal. She looked over her shoulder and saw Daphne feeding a bored Draco. Hermione smiled. Like she cared about him anymore.

"What are you looking at?" Harry asked. She whipped back around.

"Oh, nothing!" she said. "What was that about the oil spill from Peeves in Potions?" Before he could reply, Ginny sat down next to him.

"Harry, Ron," she nodded to the both of them, then raised an eyebrow. "Hermione."

"Gin, I'm sorry for what I had said ealier. You're right; it's your choice." Ginny smiled and nodded when Ron and Harry exchanged confused looks. The food dissapeared and Ginny and Hermione exchanged happy looks, and before they could say anything, Ginny was racing from her seat to the girls dorm, and Hemrione was behind,walking of course.

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"Girls take too long!" Ron said impatiently, scratching his head. A casually dressed Harry nodded. Ron was fretting, using Harry's dress robes from the Yule Ball and kept looking at his hair. Harry could help but to smirk and chuckle at his vanity. He looked up briefly and gasped.

"Gin." he said. Ron turned and his jaw dropped.

Ginny was wearing a periwinkle blue dress that came up to her ankles, and had a wrap-around feature near her waist and stomach. They matched her eyes beatifully, except her eyes weer a deeper, darker blue. It had a V-Neck and divded itself, criscrossing along her back. It seemed like it draped around her form. It was quite shiny and had tiny rhinestones in a pattern. She was weing black heels with blue flowers on the heels. Her earrings seemed like tiny chandeliers on her ears. She self-concoiusly touched her face when she saw Harry staring at her. Her red hair was in curly locks down her shoulders and back.

"Hey, um, hi." she said, grownig redder, avoiding their eyes. "Im going to...I'll wait for Hemione, Ron, she's coming down in a minute." She sat down across from a dumbstruck Harry who stared at her.'

"Stop staring at me, Harry.." she said, looking away again.

"I..can't!" he laughed softly, and she smiled, looking up. "Ah, Mione!" This alerted Ron and Harry.

Hermione said a red dress on, the body bascially like Ginny's, excpet was layred more at the top. It also had a V-neck and two average sized straps that seemed to divide, but spread over her shoulders like fans. The red was light color, and at the bottom it layered some more, those outer layers were a burnt cienna. It looked a little schrunched together on the sides, making the dress a little tighter. Her hair was mostly straight up to the middle, where it becomes curly. Her eyelashes were long with mascara and she wore tiny, hanging red bead earrings.

"Wow, Mione!" Ron choked out, and she just laughed. Ginny looked after them admirably and got up to leave, looking at Harry, who was playign with his mini Firebolt. She lightly put a hand on his shoulder.

"Harry...if you want to come-" He put his hand onto her, moving it off.

"Go. Have fun, I need to..I'll be fine. Catch up with you later." he said reassuringly, patting her hand. She nodded, smiling. "You look astounding."

"Thanks." Ginny said, laving Harry in the common room. He sighed, walking upstairs and into his bed. He laid down on his bed, the image of GInny fresh in his mind...

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"Talk about house unity!" Ron exclaimed upon entering the Great Hall. Tables were everywhere, and the cloth, divided into fourths, were red, yellow, green and blue. The whole theme seemed to be just that; even the curtains were house colors. there were house crests on some of the silverware also. There was a dance floor ahead, along with a stage. There was also a long table that went across the room, a spilt for people to get across lavished with food, an appetizer, meal, and dessert table.

"This is so cool!" Ginny squealed, surveying the crowd for Blaise. Hermione and Ron took a seat and smiled at each other. Luna came drifting towards them. She had on a silver-white dress that was knee length, and was wearing the same butterbeer cap neckleace, except it had little rhinestones dotted on it. Her waist length hair was smooth and staright, and she had a white ribbon headband.

"Luna, you look great!" Hermione said. She gave a smile, sitting next to her and Ron.

"Have you seen Neville? I haven't seen Neville." Luna said worridly, rubbing her hand together.

"I saw him leave early,he's probably waiting for you." Ron said. Luna went back to her dreamy demeanor.

"Oh, ok. Thank you, Ronald." she said. Hermione could hear him grinding his teeth at Luna calling him Ronald. But he stopped, turning to Hermione.

"So...when are they going to put on the music?" Ron asked.

"Don't we have a band?" she asked, looking onto the bare stage.

"Nah, after the attacks, they coulden't afford a band. Can you believe the cheapest they could get was muggle music?!" Ron laughed, and Hemrione gave him a cold look, liking most muggle music.

"It's not that bad, you kow.." she sniffed. Upon folding her arms, looking around, she saw Draco and Daphne. She twitched, feeling a leaping feeling in her stomach at seeing them. Daphne looked a model of a chip bag, and Draco just looked like he didn't want to be there. Daphne's dress was blue, but it looked crinkly and platic with every akward step she took in her 4-inch heels. Her dress was also over shiny and was mid-thigh, her lblonde hair in a messy bun, with strands sticking out here and there. Hemrione fiunally burst when she saw the bandage on her nose.

"Looking sharp, Greengrass." Hermione said under her breath. She took a moment form her fake smile to sneer at her.

"Whatever, Mudblood. Going with the Weasel, are we?" she shot back. Hermione glanced to Draco, who stared at her rather coldly. She averted her gaze back to Daphne.

"As a matter a fact, yes. Since my family doesn't believe in marrying off the village slut at any chance they get. Ron?" she got up and staring at her incredously, he too her arm and they walked away.

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"Can you believe them?" Daphne asked, watching as they walked away. Draco shrugged.

"Yeah, actually, I can." Draco said, looking at Hermione as she walked away.

"And I thought you didn't love her anymore." she sniffled.

"What makes you think I do?" Draco asked, looking outraged. Daphne shrugged before going over to talk to a spiteful Pansy, who watched them angrily, but when Daphne came by, she instantly conjured a fake smile.

"Great." he muttered, sitting down. Out of nowhere, a song started to blare out from several speakers. Nervous couple gatherd on the dance floor for the mystical song. It was slow, but they were sure it was rock.

_All that I'm living for_

_All that I'm dying for_

_All that I can't ignore alone at night_

"Creepy song." Ron said as Hermone started to sway slowly. Draco leaned against a table, watching her from across the room.

_I can feel the night beginning_

_Seperate me from the living_

_Understanding me_

_After all I've seen_

"Yeah." Hermione said. "Weird." His gaze seemed transfixed on her. _'God, he's staring at me...maybe I should...no, this is where I belong, With..Ron.'_ Hermione thought.

_Piecing every though together_

_Finding the words to make me better_

_If I only knew how to pull myself apart_

'_He probably never really liked me. I mean, he''s got Daphne and I've got friends and family. I'm happy. But..'_ she thought. He wasn't blinking staring into her eyes. It was as if his gray eyes were trying to tell her something.

_All that I'm living for_

_All that I'm dying for_

_All that I can't ignore alone at night_

His eyes looked angry and cold. But what Hermione saw was hurt. Deep loathing, and hurt.Hermione was still dancing slowly, trying to keep her mid off of him, but his eyes seemed to piece right through her. When she loooked back at him, he was looking over at Daphne, as her and Pansy were 'dancing'.

"You look great. Ron said over the music, putting a handon her waist. She blushed.

_'What is he thinking? About me?'_ Hermione thought, realizing this was a stupid question indeed.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked, snapping her out of her deep thoughts.

She smiled sadly. "No. I'll be back." Covering her mouth, thinknig still, she ran past, and didn't even bother to look over her shoulder at Draco.

She ran into the nearest classroom, which was the DADA classroom, chest heaving and back against the door. Before, of course, someone knocked. She instinctively moved away from the door.

A_ll that I'm wanted for_

_Although I wanted more_

_Lock the last open door-my ghosts are gaining on me_

Draco walked inot the room, rubiing his hand together.

"Get out!" she commanded.

_I believe that dreams are sacred_

_Take my darkest fears and play them_

_Like a lullaby_

_LIke a reason why_

"No, I'm not until you explain that!" he pointed outside.

_Like a play of my obsessions_

_Make me understand the lesson_

_So I find myself_

_So I won't be lost again_

"What?! I'm having a wonderful time and you're messing everything up!" Hermione yelled. "You keep looking at me with that stupid look! What do you want from me?!"

_All that I'm living for_

_All that I'm dying for_

_All that I cant ignore alone at night_

_  
_"Nothing! But I don't like seeing HIM with his hands all over you!" he shouted back.

_All that I'm wanted for_

_Although I wanted more_

_Lock the last open door-my ghosts are gaining on me_

_"_I thought YOU DIDN'T CARE! I loved you!" Hermione was in tears by this point. "I loved you, and you didn't even care!" She covered her mouth again before sobbing into her hands. She was flustered with emotion.

_Guess I thought I had to change the world_

_To make you see me to be the one_

_I could have run forever_

_But how far would I have come without mourning your love?_

"I..I loved you enough before you left me!" he gave a weaker reply.

_All that I'm living for_

_All that I'm dying for_

_All that I can't ignore at night_

"NO, you didn't. I loved you! I did, so much and you just..just.." Hermione gave a choked sob. Her stomach was in a knot as all of her emotions spilled out and her tears did also. She tried wiping them away, but more came as usual. Draco shook hishead, feeling deep sympathy for the girl.

_All that I'm wanted for_

_Although I wanted more_

_Lock the last open door-my ghosts are gaining on me_

"I tried. And then you left me!" Draco retorted, coming closer to her. Hermione, covering her eyes with her hand, tried getting away from him. "Stop running from me!" Before he could reply, he had already seized her shoulders and kissed her. She complied, putting her arms around him, but before Draco could do anything else she had pushed him away.

_Should it hurt to love you?_

_Should I feel the way I do?  
Lock the last open door-my ghosts are gaining on me_

"You hurt me, Draco. You hurt me bad. And I can't. I have friends and family who won't play me for a fool. I'm...I'm sorry. But..I can't. Not ever." she left, leaving Draco who stared at the door way as if a million galleons had walked out. And in a way, to Draco, it had.

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"Come on!" Blaise was laughing, holding Ginny by thewirst as he led her outside. Ginny had a grossed out look from seeing all the seventh years making out among the trees, but ignored them. He sat her dow on the edge of the fountain.

"What is it?" she asked excitedly. He looked into her blue orbs that were her eyes that shined in the moonlight and sparkled.

He took her hands. "Ginny, I love you." She looked dumbstruck, then a smile grew on her face slowly. As she moved her hand up so they also locked forarms.

"Oh, Blaise, I l-" But Blaise had a small wince of pain he let out. She loked down at her hand.

"Blaise, what is it?" she asked, surveying him.

"Oh,heh, nothing." he laughed nervously. But she pulled on his arms around her to kiss him, when he yelped, leaping up again.

"Blaise, spit it out!" she spat at him. He sat back down.

"Nothing!" he said. She took his arm.

"What are you hidin-" she pulled up his sleeve, and shining in the moonlight was the Dark Mark on his arm. Ginny gasped, taking two steps back. Blaise sighed, shame on his face.

"Gin." he said. Bue she shook her hed, mouthing "no" and ran away.

A/N: I tihnkit's short, but whole lotta stuff packed in. W00T! Sorry if the description for the dresses are kind of wishty washy, but I'm exhausted, I finished this all in one night!


	18. Fight Or Flight

A/N: Ah...the part two...enjoy, my loyal peeples...OH! And the song form my last chapter was called All The I'm Living For by Evanescnce. It's like, my fanfic band. In this chapter, believe me, there's some crazy shit. From back to back, literally. This chapter has it all! I migt have crammed too much into a such a short peroid of time...

Everything was slowly spinning around her as she made her way back inside. Blaise was a Death Eater, an actual Death Eater. He was going to kill people. For all she knew, he might kill her. She managed to move her head up, along with her heavily lidded eyes. She saw flashes of light and people moving in slow motion as she covered her face with a hand, trying to get the light out of her eyes. She looked lost as she stumbled towards a table, leaning on it.

"GIN!" she heard a voice yell before her head clashed with something hard and cold. Then she found herself on herside, on the groud as all the flashes tilted, and everything went black.

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"Hey, Ron." Hermione said in a hollow voice. He was sweating from dancing.

"HI, Hermione. Went to the bathroom?" he asked. She nodded, trying to hide her face as she did.

"I'm not feeling well, I need to leave now." Hemrione said, getting up and walking away. It felt as if she were in a dream, except she was falling as another song started to play. She walked down the hall, and the Fat Lady, hanging out with her friends, gave a good look at her and let her in without the password. She sat down on the couch, completely fazed bfore she buried her head in her hands.

"I'm such an idiot! He..he went for it, and I shot him down!" Hermione said to herself, sobbing into the couch. She put her hair behind her ears, wiping her eyes ans decided to look for Ginny. She walked out to no attention to the Fat Lady as she sniffled, blowing her nose into a tissue, and burning it with her wand. She was bumped into through the doorway by Ron and Neville, who were carrying a girl at each end.

"What's happened?" she asked, looking at them.

"It's Ginny. Some Slytherin was bragging and trying to lift a punch bowl spoon, and hit her in the head so she passed out!" Neville said as they tried going up the stairs.

"Don't carry her like that!" Hermione wrapped her arm around her waist and slung her over her shoulder. Ginny was thankfully light for her age, so Hermione could carry her. The stariswere moving unaturally quickly, but helped them get to the Hospital Wing floor anyways.

"What's all this? Put her on a bed, now!" Madame Pomfrey said to Hermione as Ron explaied what had happened.

"Oh, my! Well, I have just the thing for her." Madame Pomfrey went into the numerous cupboards and pulled out a green and white striped bottle with tiny read on the label. "Pour her a glass of water, quickly!" Neville poured one for her in a pitcher and she pulled out of the jar a tiny gray tablet as wide as her pinky nail. She dropped it into the glass, and it fizzed, turning green, purple, then white, and settling on a light blue. Hermione put a straw in it and lifting Ginny's head, put it in her mouth.

"Ginny? Can you hear me? I need you to swallow, okay?" Hermione said in her ear. Ginny's lips twitched as she started to drink, and her eyes opened almost immediately. Then, she opened her eyes and they were focused. Ron and Neville both sighed, relieved.

"Hermione! Oh, thank God! I'm in the Hospital Wing?" she asked slowly.

"Yeah, someone knocked you out on accident." Hermione laughed, relieved she was okay.

"Are you sure you're fine, Ginny?" Ron asked.

"Yes, "big brother"." she mocked, rolling her eyes.

"That's good, you scared us for a minute there." Hermione gave a relieved sigh. "Can she go?"

"Sure, but you must get plently of rest tonight, Missy! You are in no form to d any partying!" she said warningly, turning off the light on her nightstand.

"Thanks, I won't." GInny assured with a wink to Hermione. Madame Pomfrey obviously hadn't believed her, but walked away anyways.

"Come on, let's just go to bed. God knows I've had enough adventure tonight." Hermione said, thinking back to what had happened.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked on their way to the common room. "Does it have anything to do with Draco?" Hermione looked at her flatly.

"Yes, of course! Well, he kept staring at me, and so I left, we yelled at each other in the DADA room, and then I, erm, kind of broke down in front of him. Then...then he kissed me." Hermione admitted. Ginny gave a look of satifaction and horror.

"No! What di you say, what did you do?" she asked.

"I left." she admitted, averting Ginny's eyes.

"Can you tell me WHY?!" she asked, completely outraged by her descion.

"I don't know, okay, Gin?! I just...can't hadle it right now. I've got N.E.W.T.-"

"Oh, for God's sake, just call it "newts"! And who cares, he obviously wants you back!" She said.

"Well, he had his chance! Besides, what makes you tihnk I want to date some lowly Death Eater?" she asked in a hushed voice as the Fat Lady swung open. This sparked something in Ginny, completely remebering what had happened earlier that night.

"Hermione, we need to talk. Erm, I have something to tell you." Ginny pulled her to the far corner of common room. "I found out earlier that..Blaise is a Death Eater." Hermione covered her mouth with her hands in shock.

"Oh, my! Ginny, you must be devestated!" she gave her a quick hug.

"I...yeah..." Ginny said, sounding as if she were reminiscing about it.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, snapping her out of it.

"Uh, I don't know. I just don't know what to do anymore and I'm going to go upstairs, wash my hair, and go to bed." she said calmly.

"I'm going to the Ball, I guess. I'm kind of hungry and I did say I would be with Ron so..." Giny nodded and the two seperated.

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Ginny took each step slowly as she saw the common room. She heard Hermione leaving, but then heard someone beinhd her. She whipped around, on edge and saw Harry, his hair more unruly, in his flannel pajamas.

"Going off to bed looking like that? Seems like a waste to me." he said, raising an eyebrow. Ginny managed a fake smile before turning, going back upstairs when she heard a loud scream and then a thud. At the top of the stairs, she stopped, going back.

"Harry?" she had asked and found him crumpled on the ground, pale. She kneeled next to him, feeling his forehead. It felt hot, even to her, she could feel the pain through his scar. She got up, thinking of what to do. Panicking, she ran out, going to get Dumbledore. Luckily for Ginny, he was in the Great Hall, eating a smal Pumpkin Pasty at one of the tables.

"Proffesor!' she called, and he turned.

"Ah, Miss Weasley, looking stunning as ever! Pumpkin Pasty?" he asked, pointing to the table which the orange treats were stacked.

"Uh, no. Sir, Harry's fainted. I think it might be his scar." she said. Dumbledore got up at once and Ginny led him to the Fat Lady.

"Lady, if you please?" He gestured to the door on which she was on. An obviously drunk Fat Lady, holding a bottle of vodka, squinted at him.

"Oh, look, Darcy, it's Lady Haddingfellow and the Queen of England!" she said drunkely, bowing to Dumbledore. Her friend from the potrait nexk to her, who was wearing a big, green, elegant dress with blonde, braided hair up to her knees giggled and bowed also.

"Looking amazing, Lady Haddingfellow, and your Highness! Go in, go in!" She laughed, swinging open. Dumbledore sighed and walked in, seeing Harry where he remaied on the floor.

"_Enervate."_ He said, but Harry hadn't stirred. He felt his pulse, which beat regularly, and the rest of him was cold, but his forhead was hot and turning red.

"Hm..Well, all we can do now is wait. I say we should bring Harry ot the Hospital Wing for the night, yes?" he asked her. Ginny, not feeling like she had any say in the matter, nodded and Dumbledore, with the strength of a younger man, picked him up.

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"Oh, no!" Daphne wailed, catching the attention of Hermione, who was sitting on a table bench, watching Ron dance with Lavender and Parvati. Draco was swerving in between tables, giggling.

"Hi, Daphne! Let's go back to the common room!" Draco said, laughing.

"Are you drunk?" she asked revoltingly, pushing him away.

"Why as a matter o' fact I just may as well be!" he said, wrapping an arm around her. Hermione gave a disgusted look, turning away from him.

"I found Proffesor Snape!" Pansy called out, with a pale white Snape behind her, looking madder than ever. He came up to Draco, who stared at him, trying not to laugh.

"Could you, Draco, tell me why I had to get out of bed to take care of this?" he hissed.

"Oh, haha, I didn't know that tucking in your wings and fliping right side up was so hard!" he laughed. Snape gritted his teeth aas students passing by snickered.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" He looked furious.

"I mean your a bat, you stupid, pale-faced loon!" he laughed again, taking another gulp. The whole dance floor was watching, and roared with laughter. Snape, in fury, took the bottle away from a giggling Draco. He isntantly had a sobered look on his face.

Snape smirked. "Well, serious now, are we, Dr-" Snape was cut off by a blow to the nose. He was on the ground, clutching his bleeding nose and Draco took the bottle, gulping down the rest of it's contents, and dropped it.

Snape got up, looking around and surveying the crowd, stoping when he got to Hermione. "Since apparently you're his beau, would you like to assist me in getting Mister Malfoy sobered?" Hermione sighed, grabbing Draco by the arm and leading him towards Proffesor Snape. They walked down the hall, towards his room.

"You-you're a pretty girl, ya know that?" Draco said to Hermione, who tried her hardest to not look at him. They walked inside and Draco looked around the room inquisitvely as Hermione tapped her foot imaptiently, until Snape pulled out a large green bottle, with a bunch of corrosive warnings on it.

"This should keep Mister Malfoy sobered up. Here, Granger, I must be getting to bed." he thrust it at her, and she scowled, politely taking the bottle from his bony fingers. He shot her a look of hatred, and left.

"Here we are, alone again!" Draco said mischeviously.

"Yeah..now, you need to take this potion, okay? " she grumbled. Out of nowhere, Draco let out a high-pitched scream and climbed onto the nearest table in the fetal position. Hermione brandished her wand towards the door.

"What? What is it?" she asked, whipping around for any signs of Death Eaters. He pointed at an empty corner, where a chair stood.

"The sheep have come." he whispered softly, putting his hands in between his knees.

"Erm, what?"

"Look, with it's beady little eyes!" he pointed to it again. "Jesus thinks I'm right, don't you?" he said, pointing to another corner in the room, obviosuly empty.

"Ooook, you need this now." She got up akwardly on the table, and gave him the bottle which he sniffed,and shook his head.

"Come on, instead of drinkin', how bout we do something else, Her-My-Oh-Ninee!" he giggled again. In a swift but clumsy motion, he put an arm around her and kissed her. Hermione coulden't help but want to kiss him back, the smell of firewhisky on his breath, but she pushed him away slowly. It made her, for a second, think back to the night before Christmas, when she was happy, so happy...

"No!" she shouted at herself, trying to rid of the happy memory with Draco. He looked confused.

"I need you to do something for me." she said with new found confidence.

"Hmmm, loooove?" he asked.

"I need you to look up." He raised his eyesbrows, but nevertheless, raised his face towards the celing.

"I don't see-" But he was cut off by Hermione who was dumping the contents into his mouth. He choked and gagged, holding his throat. Hermione thought he was going to fall so she yelped, jumping off the table before he just laid down. Hermione, who was scared of what the potion might of done, got a better look at him and was relieved. He was just sleeping. Hermione coulden't help ut give a small smile and at his calm face.

_'Why do I still care about him? Why can't these feelings go away?'_ she asked herself. She saw the antique ring nearby on his ring finger and sighed,but shook her head. '_No, Hermione, you can't think about him anymore, he's not, erm, we're not.._' Before she could complete her thought, he started mumbling.

"You're going to be alright, okay?" she said, but remembered she wasn't supposed to care for him anymore. But she had, and she did. She bit her lip, thinking of the consequences of staying, and turned on her heel.

"Hermione.." he muttered.

It got her attention, and she abrupty turned to look at him. "Yes?"

"I'm..I'm sorry, I love you...I've always loved you...Death Eater or not..." he mumbled. Tears unwillingly came to her eyes again, and she blinked them away.

"No, haha, no you don't. Your'e going to become a Death Eater, I'm a part of the Order, and one day, we'll battle. I don't love you, and you don't love me." she said nervously, trying to deny it as much as possible. Then he said something that brought allthe good and the bad emotions and memories back, fresh in Hermione's mind.

"I need you, 'Mione."

Then, she held her breath, thinking of what to say to that. Her fight or flight response took over, and she turned on her heel, fleeing from the room. Draco still remained on the table, and few minutes later, he got up, yawning and wondering where the hell he was.He got up, looking at the cabinets and tables, realizing he was in Snape's room. '_Aww, great. I must have gotten drunk!"_ he thought, rubbing his head, straighting his dress robes, and walking out and into the Great Hall.

'_Hermione was there...what was she doing there? She must have given me something to make me sober...I'll have a million detentions from Snape...wait, Hermione was there?'_ Daphne was at a nearby table, looking for Draco on the dance floor. He decided to avoid her, but to no avail.

"Oh, Draco! Sobered up, have we?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

" I've had a rough night. I'm leaving now." he turned on his heel.

"Wait a minute! You are not leaving me at the Ball, are you?" she screamed hysterically, causing people to stare.

"Yes." he walked back towards the door, leaving Pansy and Daphne to go into hysterics.

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"This has been one hell of a night." Ginny muttered, pouring another glass of water from Harry's nightstand. Ginny had followed Dumbledore,who wasn't at the Hospital Wing, but Madame Pomfrey said it was getting late and asked Ginny to watch over him for the night. He was still unconscious, but was still alive. She had instructed her ro watch over him until he wakes up.

"Harry, please, be okay." she kneeled down next to his bed. "Please!" He didn't respond. Her bottom lip quivered, thinking of Christmas and how happy they were, looking at the mini Quidditch pitch, and tears flowed from her eyes.

"God, I am so stupid! How could I have trusted Blaise?! Hermione was right: Im making the same mistake!" she hit her head on the side of his bed, now crying into her arms. "Im sorry I hurt you, Harry!"

Ginny kept thinking about how she deeply wanted to be with Blaise, but had a feelig soon enough, he'd break her heart. SHe looked out at the stars, foolishly relalizing she had left the window open. Upon closing it, she sniffled, wiping her eyes, she plopped back onto the floor next to him, then, rubbing her lower back, she had missed the chair.

"I am an idiot." she sighed.

"But you'll hurt your arse if you do that." she heard a voice say. She looked up and saw Harry, scratching his hair and shaking his head, sitting up in his bed. "What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. You kind of...passed out."

"I don't remember passing out. But I do remember something..." he said, gingerly touching his scar. "I...felt happy. No, he felt happy. Voldemort felt really, really happy, the most he'd been ever since I can remember."

"That can't be good. Is he close?" Ginny asked curiously.

"I'm not a GPS!" he snapped at her, and she got up, taking a step away from him cautiously. He sighed, climbing out of bed.

"Sorry, I'm just tense. I can feel him getting closer and closer, like a shadow." They both shuddered, thinking of the horrible being that caused so much destruction. She sat next to him on the bed.

"It's going to be okay,Harry. I just..I know it." she said, looking away from him.

"What? What's the matter?" She explained what she had learned that night, and his jaw dropped.

"Er..Ginny that's..um..really bad." he said, uncomfortable with comforting her. She gave a small sad smile.

"It's okay, thanks for trying. He's not even looking for me." she mumbled the last part, looking out the window and intot he dark sky. He took her hand.

"Ginny, like you said. It'll be alright. Okay?" Harry looked into her sad blue eyes that seemed to make him feel relieved.

"I..I really like your eyes. You have really pretty eyes, do you know that?" he said, and she gave a small chuckle, looking away from him self conciously.

"Thanks. Yours are nice too!" she exclaimed.

"Nah." he said, waving her away with his hand. She hit him with a pillow and looked at her as if she were insane, but hit her back.

"Stop! You're messing up my hair!" she laughed.

"Yeah, I know!" he said, still rubbing the pillow on her head, making her hair static. When he was done, he had a look of laughter and satifaction on his face from her hair that now stuck up in al different directions.

"This is cool." he siad, putting a hand above her hair and watching it follow. She stuck out her tounge, patting her hair down again.

"Wow, when's the last time we've just hung out?" she asked.

"I don't know, really." he said thoughfully, looking up and trying to remember such a thing. "But..Gin...can I be honest about something?"

"Hmm?"

"I miss you." Ginny's eyes widened in shock, but tried to look as if she were joking.

"I'm right here, I see you everyday!"

"No, I miss...us." he took her hand and she scrunched her eyebrows, thinking of what to do next.

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"God, I'm exhausted!" Ron yawned, walking upstairs. "Too bad you weren't feeling well, Mione."

"Yeah."she said slowly.

"Heard you had to take care of Malfoy. Brutal, huh?"

"Yeah."

"You sure you're alright?" he asked worridly.

"Yeah." Lavender and Parvati had already gone upstairs. Hermione looked at the clock, which read 1:00.

"Gosh, it's late. And the thing I want to do right now is go to bed!" Hermione said, and Ron, Neville not far behind, nodded as they both walked up their respective rooms.

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Blaise sat, panting on the ground. He had just spent an hour hexing a bunch of trees out of anger and frustration._ Why did I have to be so weak, why coulden't I had just sucked it up and hoped Ginny woulden't have noticed?! _He walked back in the moonlight to the castle. He rubbed his shoulders walking in, the heat washing over him. But the dance floor was empty; the tables cleared. There were some Slytherins on the way out he recognized.

"Hey! Crabbe!" he called out, and sure enough, Crabbe and Goyle turned around.

"What?" Goyle asked.

"Not you, you dolt, me. What?" Crabbe asked. Blaise rolled his eyes; they had been to busy stuyffing food into their arms and pockets.

"Is the Ball over?" he asked, and they both looked at each other, nodding. He sighed. Too late to apologize to Ginny. A sad and crestfallen Blaise followed Crabbe and Goyle to the common room. It had been a long night.

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"Harry, we've talked about this."

"Have we?" he asked angrily, getting up and turning away from her.

"Listen, I can't."she said, surprised by how much she sounded like Hermione. "You're the one who tried breaking up with me last year!"

"True, but that was before I thought Voldemort was gone! I understand if your not ready right now, with Blaise, but tell me the truth."

Ginny panicked. "I've got to go now, erm, I think I hear Hermione." Before she could go, he took her hand, puling her back.

"Tell me right now, once and for all! Do you still love me?" She looked up into his eyes, with an emotion she coulden't place.

"Harry, I-" But her reply was interuptted. A nearby window suddenly exploded, sending pieces of glass towards them. Ginny and Harry both shielded their eyes as more of the windows exploded. They must not have been the only ones; from outside, they heard the screams of students. In the moonlight, they saw several sillhouttes on brooms. They ran towards the windows, peering out the window and avoiding the glass on the floor. Ginny gasped, and Harry and Ginny looked at each other, running out.

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"Oh, no! Get Dumbledore NOW!" Hermione ordered, looking out the window that had been blown out. Lavender screamed, running out while Hermione got her wand out. "Damn, and I was just about to get out of my dress!" She pointed down at Hgrid's Hut, and, with a look of determination on her, she closed her eyes, and when she opened them sure enough, the silver shot out of her wand and went through his window. Almost immeadiatly, Hagrid came bounding out, umbrella and crossbow in hand.

"Hagrid!" she stuck her arms out the window, waivng them wildly. Hagrid saw her.

"'Ermione!" he shouted, and ran towards the castle. Hermione whipped around, going downstairs and out the portrait hole. She sighed;people were running around, screaming. She turned to a frightened Fat Lady.

"Listen, Fat Lady, if they come for you, I want you to run!" she said.

"But, dear, what about the common room?" she wailed.

"No! We can't have you dead!" Then, without a word, she pushed past everyone, trying to get to the Great Hall where she saw them.

Students screamed as the windows exploded, and curtains were on fire. The huge doors that led outside were wide open as students were running in and out, terrifyed expressions. Throughtout the students, she saw Ginny and Harry.

"Harry, Gin!" she screamed. Ginny took her hand and gripped it, and took Harry's too."You guys, we need to stay together!"

"I'm getting Ron!" Ginny said, but Harry took her sleeve.

"No! I can't make it if you die, Gin!" he pleaded. She nodded and turned, for Ron was running towards them, arms flailing and wand in hand.

"Oh, man! It was bad!" Ron said. he had several cuts on his face. Apparating a few yards away was the Order, Dumbledore, McGonagall and several others.

"It's all happening outside, come on!" Ron said. They all ran outside the doors and into the night, but someone had grabbed Hermione, pulling her back.

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"Haha, finally, this should be fun!" Crabbe exclaimed with Goyle, who both cracked their knuckles, taking out their wands. Draco was dumbstruck as was Blaise., stading in the Great Hall doorway when all of a sudden, Hermione zoomed past him, looking for someone. Her face had determination he didn't recognize. She was talking to her friends, and they were on their way out when Draco followed, grabbing her and pulling her back. She turned around.

"No, I'm not lettting you go out there! You might die!" he said sincerely. "I don't care about all that's happened, I just don't want.." He seemed unable to finish his sentance. She pulled him by his hand cloer to her so that their bodies were close and she could feel his breath on her face.

"Listen...in case we never see each other again..."

"Hermione, this is crazy! I thought you didn't like me anymore, and if you didn't, you'd run! Whoever is doing this is-" he said, panicking, but was cut off.

"In case we never see each other again, I just wanted to say that I love you, and I will always love you, no matter what descions we make or don't. But don't you see? There's a line,a fine line betweeen us. There always has been always will. You'

re on the other side of the line. Cross it, or don't. I'm just ging to say, I'll miss you." she said, and before he could reply, she kissed him, putting a hand on the side of his face and looking into his eyes for the last time. Looking at her, she kind of looked like a broken princess: Her dress was torn, her hair sitcking out, she was missing a heel and an earring. Her tear streaked face made Draco want to break down sobbing too.

"Don't go!" he said.

"No! It's fight or flight! Choose! Cross the line, or don't." she said, and with that, she ran from him and outside. In all of the darkness, slightly illuminated my the moonlight, she pulled out her wand, but it seemed like the intruders had already gone. She looked inside; Flitwick was trying to extinguish the flames of the curtains. Draco stood,watching helplessly as she went into the darkness and away from sight.

"Where did they go, I don't see anyone!" Ginny exclaimed.

"They're probably inside but..." Before she could complete her sentance, she was blasted off of her feet a couple yards away. She heard hername being called, and she tried scrambling up, running towards them again.

"What was that?"

"Aww, it's the Mudblood Granger, looking out for Potty-Wotty!" She coulden't even see where it came from, or who. Harry was, but several shots of red came at her. She ducked and saw Harry looking around furiously, along with Ginny. With her guard down, someone kicked her side, sending her tumbling away.

"You horrible bitch!" she screamed. "Stop hiding!" She was about to get up, but anothe foot pushed her down. She looked up and gasped.

"Tut, tut, Mudblood, you should really learn your manners."

It was Voldemort, a sneer on his face. She covered her mouth in shock. The Death Eaters had arrived.

A/N: This can't be good...BWAHAHA. Review or die a most horrible death. Come on, pretty please?


	19. Fight or Flight Part 2

A/N: Hey, guys. So, like, after this, maybe two or three more chapters. Just depends,really. BTW, I'm taking a poll. Now, if you want Ginny and Blaise to be together, vote for that. If you want Harry and Ginny to end up together, say so. But let me say this: the fate of Draco and Hermione relies on it, believe it or not.

...HA. I'm joking. No matter what you guys choose, I've made my descion. I just want to see what you guys think. And there's an epilouge too, that should be intresting. And no, they won't have a gazilllion kids or something. ...Moving on with the story!

Hermione, paralyzed in fear, slowly started to react, scrambling away from him on her knees. Voldemort laughed, making a slashing movement with his hand, making her fall into the damp mud. Her whole lower body was covered in it as she tried picking herself up, but ti felt like an invisible hand was gripping her waist, thrashing her body against the mud.

"Yes, yes, Mudblood! Deep in the dirt is where you belong, you filthy-"

"_Expelliarmus!"_ a voice yelled, and Voldemort's wand flew out of his hand. He turned to see Harry, wand out, chest heaving, pointed directly at him.

"Dumbledore still has taught you those old school tricks? Try this one on for size!" she snapped his fingers, and Death Eaters appeared at his sides. They tried holding Harry as he thrashed and kicked away from them. Hermione go up, looking at where Voldemort once stood, but he had vanished, and the Death Eaters had appreared.

"_Stupefy!"_ Hermione said, pointing at one of the Death Eaters advancing on Ginny. He fell to the ground, stunned and dizzy. She looked over; Ron was already engaged in battle with a clumsy Death Eater when green shot at her from Bellatrix.

"Haha, just because my family has been known to hate Mudbloods, I'll finish you off first! Other than my dear, dead cousin!" This made Hermione snap.

"_Furnunculus!"_ She shouted, wand pointed, but Bellatrix swept away the spell with a lazy flick of her wand.

"Really, Mudblood, if you have an education, you shoulden't waste it. God knows people like you don't deserve it." she sneered. "_Avada Kedarvra!"_

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Fight, or flight. Fight, or flight. Draco repeated it in his head over and over. Fight, or flight. Fight, or flight. Fight or flight. The ground shook as a chunk of ceiling fell. People screamed and ran out from under it, not wanting to be crushed by the stone. Fight, or flight.

"Let's go, Lord Voldemort is waiting!" Blaise shouted, but Draco stared into the darkness, his skin pqallid and sweat covered in fear. He watched as Hermione lashed out at Bellatrix. It seemed to him, it was all moving in slow, slow motion, with no sound. Hermione looked fierce, a confident look in her eyes he hadn't seen for a long time.

"I..I'm leaving!" Draco said, turning his back and waking towards the doors, not even paying attention to numerous teachers that were extinguishing the walls, curtains and parts of the ground.

"You can't go!" Blaise said. "We're all going to die if you leave now!" he grabbed his shoulder violently, pulling him back, forcing him to look into his eyes. "You leave now, and Hermione dies!" The idea struck him, and more fear invaded his mind.

"I can't..handle this! I haven't fought before!" he said, panicking again in a voice he had never recognized.

"Voldemort needs you, now!" Blaise was already gone by the time he urned. He was like a peg in destruction and chaos, students running around, trying to get away from the destruction the DEs were causing from the outside. He looked down, at the doorway, where, in fact, he saw a line where the darkness began from outside. He took a deep breath, taking out his wand.

He crossed the line. But for all the wrong reasons...

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Hermione dropped to the ground, rolling over as she leaned in training. Getting up swiftly, a small smile apprearing at Bellatrix's hysterics about the boils, she brandished her wand, taking a step forward.

"_Stupefy!" _she screamed, sending her off of her feet. Another Death Eater was behind her, but Ron took him out.

"_Agumenti!"_ Ron shouted. To Hermione's surprise, a fast and rushing stream of water blew out of his wand, he had to hold it with two hands. It hit the Death Eater's face, causing him to stumble back and hit his head on a pillar, causing him to be unconcious.

"Very well done!" Hermone praised, but was almost knocked off her feet by what she saw. Draco had finally gotten out, but he was currently dueling with someone from the Order Hermione coulden't recall.

"_Crucio!"_ He yelled, and the man stopped and started screaming on the ground, his extremities jerking, limbs thrashing. He stopped, a satified look on his face as Lucius came behind him, clapping him on the back.

"Nicely done, son." he said proudly, and Draco gave a smile, thinking of how his dad was finally proudof him. Hate and rage burned through Hermione as she approached him. Her eyes burned with tears and she stared coldly at him. Draco had used an Unforgivable.

"_You!_" sh said with so much force, it caught Draco by surprise. She pointed her wand at him.

"Hermione! Are you alright?" he asked with slight concern, although his face was stoic.

"_Expelliarmus!"_ she shouted, and his wand flicked out of his hand. "How could you?! You said you...you..you work for him now? I thought you had changed, I thought you didn't want to be a Death Eater, I thought you cared! _Expelliarmus!"_ She said angrily; Draco was knocked off of his felt and into the air, lading a couple yards away.

"I do, but this is who I am now!" he said. "You need to accept that this is who I am!" he said this last part warily.

"And what are you? Do you live for this? Do you want to be like them?" she pointed to A Death Eater who was preforming a Crucio on a Ravenclaw. " You're either with us, or against us!" she pointed her wand at him. "Them, or me?" Draco stared at her with a mixture of confusion, fear, and hatred. He didn't move, nor say anything.

"Fine. When it comes down to it, we'll see what you choose." she said, turning away from him and helping the injured Ravenclaw, who was gripping his knee, as if to push the ligaments back into plac4e. Draco still laid there, by the Black Lake, dumbstruck. He had to choose. He looked at Hermione, which was fight. He looked at his father, who was talking to the others, yelling comands to run as soon as Dumbledore came. What a flight that would be.

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"Where's Ginny?" Harry yelled over the curses and hexes. Hermione suerveyed the different duels and didn't see her among them.

"Oh, no!" she said, her face paling. Harry turned; Ginny was sprawled out on the grass infront of Hagrid's Hut.

"I'll go! Voldemort wants me, and he's not geting me. Not yet!" he gritted his teeth, doing a sprint towards her body where he collided headfirst into anothe Death Eater, Apparating out of nowhere. He tumbled backward, shaking his head and colors flashing before his eyes.

"Not yet, Potter!" Lucius laughed, his ewand pointing downwards. What he didn't expect was Hermione, sprinting at top speed to his left, to Harry's surprise and amusement, she hurdled herself at him, and Lucius went down like a pin. Hse got up, straighting her dress and gettign her hair out of her eyes.

"Muggle brawling, are we?" Harry qouted.

"You do what you have to do. At least that wasn't cruel." she kissed him on the cheek. "I was just trying to protect you." Harry nodded, walking past Lucius' body and to Ginny. He slapped her face lightly, and she awoke. While they talked andhe helped her up, Hermione turned back and saw Mc Gonagall and Hagrid, fighting it out.

"Take that, and that! Oh, Miss Granger, get him!" she pointed to a nearby Death Eater advancing on Luna and Neville. She whipped out her wand.

"_Stupefy! Stupefy!" _she shouted, jabbing her wand at both of them and kncocking them out.

"Thanks you, Hermione." Luna said, and they nodded, taking off in the direction of the castle. Hermione stood, looking around to who needed help when she was knocked out all of a sudden, and she landed on her side as everying went black.

"See Dumbledore?" Ron yelled over the curses that were being fired.

"Nope, but we don't need him, I'll take out Voldemort if it takes everything out of me!" he roared, Stunning another Death Eater.

"There ae so many of them!" Ron said, looking over all the land that was covered from the building to the Black Lake.

"We'll take them down, one by one!" Harry yelled, but the fighting stopped for a second. Everything stopped for Harry and Ron as they looked at the scnce at the water's edge.

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"Draco, here's your final test!" Lucius laughed sadistically, malicious joy spreading across his face. He turned, gasping. He coulden't believe what he was being presented.

Hermione was standing, not on the waters edge, but was standing on a high pillar that had came out of water's center. She lookeed around nervously, being careful not to fall into it's murky depths.

"As your final test, this is what you shall do!" This had gotten everyone's attention now. Draco stood next to his father, looking out at her. She had a frightned look in her eyes, but her face was stoney. She looked up at him with sad eyes and mouthed "Help me." "You shall take your wand and right now, kill Granger." Her hands were bound behind her back, and in the moonlight, she seemed to glow as her dress reflected off of the moon.

"I...can't!" he said with some difficulty.

"Quite a plan you've devised, I shall watch." Voldemort from some lengths away said.

"Now anyone one move, and she dies anyways. Go ahead, make the choice and make your first murder." Lucius said.

"HERMIONE!" Ginny cried out, sobbing into Harry's arms. Harry's brow covered with sweat; if he tried to take her away from the pillar, she would fall and she was too far out to swim to.

"Do it son." he said. Draco raised him arm, and Hermione had stifled sobs, and she nodded slowly. Her lower lip quivering, her body shaking, she bent her head, a sloemn look on her face, tears spilling down her face. The Death Eaters cheered as she started to lose her balence slowly. Bile started to rise from his throat, he thought he was going to puke.

"I dont think I can!" Draco exclaimed, lowering his hand.

"You can, you can!" he urged. "She's just a filthy Mudblood! And if you don''t , then you go!" Draco nodded.

"Do it, Draco!" Hermione called out, which caught them by surprise.

"Hermione..." he said.

"Just do it already! I'm ready." she said, bowing her head, waiting for her death.

"I'm not!" Draco exclamied once again.

"Do it or you'll never be one of us ever again! Do you think they'll take you back if don't kill her? That if, this is all over, and they don't throw you into jail? think about what you can gain, son!" He said urgently.

"Harry, Ron, Ginny, I'll miss you. I...I accept my fate." Hermione siad. Ron looked apalled, Ginny kept cryng and Harry was full of rage.

"She seems okay with it, now, come on!" Bellatrix said and Death Eaters clamored in agreement.

"Can I say something first?" Hermione asked. Lucius rolled her eyes.

"The Mudblood wants to talk, surprise, surprise!"

"I just want to say that.." she tried keeping the tears inside. "That..in life...there is a line. There's always been a line between those who choose what is right, and those who take an easy path. Sometimes, what is right, isn't always the perfect thing to do, the best for you, but it is right for the good of mankind. The common good. What this is, right now, is the diffrence between the two types. I just hope that a realization comes to mind that when you ch-hoose between to the two..." She looked at Draco. "Remember those who are in your life, and how it affects them, and not just yourself. Taking the easy path is a path that you take alone, and no one wants to be alone. Two different lifestyles, two different choices. And the line that seperates us all. The line will never be broken, but it can be crossed. Once you take a path, you think that, that, you can't cross over.That you can never be aswayed or pushed, but you cna. Especially not by yourself. But you always have a choice." She began to sob at this point, and she looked up at Draco.

"You always have a choice." she said, her voice cracking, bowing her head slowly. "Never forget that." Draco bit his lip, thinking of what to do next, a million thoughts racing through his head at once. How he wanted to shout "I love you"! At the top of his lungs, he wanted to please her, hold her, and kiss her forever...

"I...I. Hermione..there's got to be another way!" Bellatrix stepped foeward, angrily thrusting her wand at her.

"Too long! _Stupefy!" _Hermione closed her eyes, and Draco felt like he was in the slow motion again. Hermione was hit off of the pillar, and gracefully, in an arc, she fell into the water head first into the water, the last remaining part of Hermione he saw was the black pumps she wore, and she vanished. Draco droped to his knees, expecting Hermione to come up, swimming and gasping for breath. But she didn't. She was gone, dissapeared. Ginny and Harry screamed for her, cry and gasping. But Hermione didn't come up. But,for a second, a glimmer of hope, Hermione's head bobbed up.

"Hermione!" he screamed, limply holding out his hand as if he could reach.

She was gasping for breath, and none of the others had seen it. They were battling and yelling, screaming and fighting and dueling in the background. In the center of the lake, she came up for a spilt second.Hermione flailed her arms in a desperate attepmt to swin, but noe one noticed. She was way too far out, and kept going under. She gasped for breath, a desperate look on Hermione's face She grew tired, so tired and wanted to rest. Hermione looked at Draco, who let his tears fall openly as she went under again, and she didn't and wasn't coming back up.

Hermione was gone. Forever.

A?N: This was hard to write, Goddamn it! sniffle Sorry, its so short.


	20. What Happens Next

A/N: Wow, this shit is going DOOOWN! God, I will get so excited if I reach ONE HUNDRED reviews! How awsomely bitchin'! I mean, I've almosthit 80, and I think if maybe I stretch this out a bit, I can make it! So please, review all you can. PLEASE!

"No...no." he shook his head slightly in absolute disbelief.."HERMIONE!" His hair swaying slowly in the wind and his knees being splashed violently by the water. His gray, stormy eyes stared at the water's surface, looking for some sign of activity.

"Son, I am very dissapointed!" Lucius scolded. "Do you want to be a Death Eater, or some filthy Muggle lover?"

"I don't know!" he growled at him. "She was Hermione, she was _my Hermione! _I loved her! I do love her!" McGongall and Dumbledore had just arrived onto the scene, looking out over the water. Harry just looked at the water edge, completely stunned and full of rage and sadness.

"She was like a...a sister..." Harry said, mouth hanging slightly open, tears burining his eyes as he tried to contain them.

"Hermione." Ron said softly, not paying any attention to the wailing Ginny.

"She's really gone.." Ginny whipped her head up, eyes red and her face contorted with anger. She pointed her wand at Bellatrix, who smirked, amused by her actions.

"You! She was my best friend!" She lunged at the woman, but Blaise blocked her path swiftly.

"I'm sorry, Ginny, but I can't let you hurt Bellatrix." he said, eyes facing downward, making an attempt to not meet Ginny's.

Ginny laughed hollowly. "Oh, and I see she's your new beau?" Ginny knew this idea was idiotic, but needed a good retort. Blaise rolled his eyes.

"What, are you jealous?" he smirked, raising an eyebrow, knowing it would cause immense frustrantion, confusion and embarrassment on Ginny's part.

"Enough of this nonsense! There's a war to finish, and a little boy who needs to be finished off!" Voldemort said. Draco ran up to the stunned Harry, grabbing his collar. Harry still stared, not taking noticed of the blonde haired boy.

"What did you use when you went under in the Triwizard Tournament, huh? ANSWER ME!" he said, shaking him.

"Gillyweed, alright! Why?" But Draco was already sprinting towards the castle. A Death Eater tried getting into his way, but he pushed him aside with a fury that could only matched against Harry's.

"PROFFESOR SNAPE!" He yelled into each of the doorways, opening the doors with a desperate look on his face. and Snape came dashing towards him.

"What is it, Draco? We're in the middle of a war here!" he snapped.

"I need, erm, Gillyweed. For something, I think something important has fallen into the Black Lake, it's The Master's orders to go after it!" Draco lied, trying to look directly at him.

"Why is he trusting you with such a task?" he said bitterly, as if he were jealous. He stated staring into his eyes, but Draco was ready. _' Voldemort wants me to go after soemthing, Voldemort wants me to go and get something.._' Draco thought, trying to block his mind against his Legilimency. Snape caught on, and eyed him carefully for a few moments.

"Because, it's a-a part of my training; Proffesor!" he said urgently. Snape went back into his room. Draco slid down the wall in fury, grabbing at his hair in frustration. He coulden't believe he was losing his cool; but Hermione could be underwater, her usual smooth skin rough and blue, her hair a mousy brown. Draco looked up, thinking of how he would fear seeing such a thing. And her eyes, a distant, dull light brown...they would never be full of life again.

"Here, now go!" he said, thusting a jar at him. Draco nodded, running back outside. Voldemort and Harry were dueling, but to his surprise, Dumbledore was watching carefully, and not making any sudden movements. McGongall looked like she wanted to intetvene, but he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You know of the prophecy. It's Harry versus him, and nothing else."

She nodded, her sharp look sofened, looking up at Hagrid who was equally saddened to not take him out at once. Draco went to the edge of the Black Lake, where Ginny watched the horrible dueling going on between Voldemort and Harry with a look of combined fear and courage. Lucius looked over at Draco's sudden movements, but he was too late. Draco opened the jar, revealing a ball of what loooked like fried worms mixed with a odd smelling liquid. Draco shurgged, unafraid, and swalowed it. He began to choke slightly, and rubbed his thoat, getting it down. Before he knew it, his neck felt like it was tearing apart and he coulden't breathe. He felts sudden slits on the sides of his neck, and his feet felt as if they were expanding.

"Draco!" Lucius said warningly before he fell into. When he went under, he expected himself to lose air and die, that Harry had set him up. He jerked around, trying got get used to the water But he found himself breathing underwater. unlike swimming pools he'd been in, the Black Lake was dark and cool, a murky sea foam green color all around him; it was a sight to see.

But he had a job to do, he coulden't dawdle.He was going to save Hermione. Draco, with his flippered feet, kicked off on a rock, and the center of the lake he went.

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"It's over, Potter! _Crucio!"_ Harry dropped tot he ground, jerking around and screaming in pain.

"Harry!" Ginny cried. Voldemort lifted the hex, smirking proudly.

_'Wait a minute..how did he come back? Could be possbile he made a...'_ Harry gasped. '_Maybe it's possible he made another Horcrux! But what item? A founders item? Just a minute! I..I.' _Harry remembered the night at Godric's Hollow he had thought he had destroyed Voldemort

"Ah, pondering my return?" Voldemort laughed. Harry gritted his teeth, remembering the Occlumency lessons. "Well, let me fill in the blanks for you. The man you killed that fateful night wasn't me. It was a Polyjuice Potion, swallowed by trickery of one of my late Death Eaters. I escaped, of course. So either you destroy me now, or never." Harry wiped his forhead, panting.

"_Stupefy!"_ Voldemort exclaimed. Harry turned, ducking, feeling the hex just barely scrape the top of his head. _'Come on, Harry, you can do it...think of Sirius...Tonks...Remus..and..and..My Mum and Dad.."_ Harry stood straight up, and ran towards Voldemort.He hadn't expected this, his guard down.

"_Crucio!" _ Harry shouted.

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'_God, where is she?"_ he thought, nearing the center when he saw a pinkish tentacle zoom past him. Draco kept goign ,unafraid ofanytihng that would come at him. Little did he know, something was comign after him.

Out of nowhere, a Grindylow hit him head on, sending his backflipping away from his target. Draco growled, regaining his position and swimming again. He searched the lake floor for anything that looked like a body. As he heard the wails of mermails, he saw something black and straight wedged in between two fo the rocks. If there was one thing Draco had learned, t was nothign in nature is perfectually straight. Prying it carefully from the rocks, he yanked it out and gave a stifled gasp.

It was one of Hermione's black pumps, missing a heel. This fueled his rage, and holding the shoe, he took off past the rocks and over sea anenomes. _Hermione, please be here..._ Then, he found several pieces of fabric, ripped off of her dress, floating around the center when he knew he was getting there. He started to choke slightly, but it wasn't from that.

There she was, face down in the lake floor. Her skin was unbelievebly pale and sickly. He turned her over quickly, looking at her distant eyes. They werent't even brown, but almost gray. He began to choke a little again, and realized his fins and gills were closing and spreading. He hurridly cooped her up, then swam back to the other edge, his eyesight obscured by the darkness and the tears, even though he coulden't feel them, flowing from his eyes. He looked back down at her and sawe her wand was gripped tightly in her hand.

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Voldemort dropped to the ground with a cry of pain. Everyone gasped;they had never seen him in acutal pain. Harry stood in front of him and Voldemort was slumped over, weakened greatly.

"Please...Harry...do not kill me. I..don't want to die..." Voldemort started to beg to Harry, but he laughed in spite of himself, bitterly.

"Yes, you do deserve to die! _Avada Kedarvra!_' And with that, the Dark Lord rolled onto his face, dead. Ginny ran forward, breaking out of Ron's grasp and hugged him tightly.

"You did it! Oh my God, Harry, you did it!" He hugged her tightly back as tears squeezed from her eyes. And with on motion, Ginny captured his lips quickly, kissing him all over dirt streaked face.

"I love you...I really do, and I've missed you so much...I can't do without you, Harry!" she said in between kisses. Harry nodded.

"Neither can I...but it's over...and.." But before Harry could finish his sentance, Draco sprung up from the water, carrying a soaked Hermione. He started to cough up water and laid her out on the grass.

"HERMIONE!" Ron, Harry, and Ginny all yelled, running towards her along with Dumbledore. Mc Gonagall was fighting an escaping Bellatrix, Lucius and the rest as they all dissapeared before them. Draco looked down at the empty eyes, and he slammed his hands on the ground. He felt her pulse, and was surprised to see she was still alive. But it kept slowing down.

"Shes cold, really cold. It might be hypothermia." Madam Pomfrey said, at Dumbledore's side performing a Heating Charm.

It was all for nothing. All the fighting, the love, the sneaking around, everything was a waste fo time to lead up to this. He thought back..

_"Hold out your hand," _

_"What are you doing?!" _

_"I'm simply making a point."_

_"And this proves-" _

_"Our blood bleeds the same, doesn't it?"_

Draco fists gripped the grass as tears seemed to wash away the dirt from them. He looked down at her.

"W-we could have had y-years..." he said in a teary voice.

_"Oh? You were being serious? I apologize, I had no idea!" _

_"Grr.."_

_"Stop! Seriously...stop!"_

_"See? Your not all books and brains!"_

"If I wasn't such an arse, months maybe..."

_Why is Weasel trying, and I mean TRYING to seduce you?_

_Honestly, he's not doing a very good job. Don't worry about it._

_Haha, but seriously, tell him to stop._

_Why? Jealous? Denying sudden found lust for me?_

_Of course not!_

_Right. _

He bent his face down close to her. "Don't die. I need you, Mione..I've always needed you. I love you so much...it hurts." And with that, she still didn't respond. He put his head on her chest, and let his tears fall. Then, he's started to hear a faint, but steady heartbeat. He hwipped up his head in relization.

"Her heart's beating...she's alive!" He shook Harry. "She's bloody alive, Potter!" His eyes darted from her body to Draco, not believing it. Madam Pomfrey took her pulse.

"Yes, she has a steady rate. Proffesor, if you please," she said curtly to Dumbledore, who muttered the incantation and levitated her intot he Hospital Wing, the others following. Draco was still crying;Hermione was alive, but only just. When hse got into the bed, as quickly as they cvould, they took sheets from other beds and wrapped her all around in it. He was at her bedside, his head in hands.

"Hermione, this is all my fault. If maybe I didn't..if I could take it back.." Draco said as Madam Pmfrey gave her more of the Heating Solution. She then took a washcloth, squeezing it into a pail and laid it on her forhead. Draco coulden't bare to look at her anymore, and looked at Ginny, who had her hands clenched together on the edge of her bed.

"What are you doing?" He asked tearfully. She looked up.

"Praying. For Hermione. Haven't you ever?" she asked softly. Draco shook his head decided to do the same.

_'Dear, erm, God...please. Save Hermione. She means so much to me, and she doesn't deserve to leave me. If anything, you should take me. She's such an innocent and beautiful girl, and I'm riddles wth wickedness...I'm horrible. And she had to die bcause of it. If you exist at all, please, save her!"_ He lifted his head back up and look at her again, and she made no attempt to respond. Ron and Harry both seemed to be in their own world, silent, staring towards the floor. Madame Pomfrey just stared down at her, stil swabbing her forehead. After a few minutes, nothing changed.

"Please...I think it's time if you all went to your dormitories." Madam Pomfrey said quietly. Ron, Harry, and Ginny understood she wasn't coming back, and got up, leaving. But Draco sat at her bedside. "Did you not here me, Mister Malfoy?"

"I heard! Listen, I've never left Hermione, and I won't start now!" he growled at her, eyes fixated.

"But she's already left all of us, including you." she said softly. Draco coulden't help but to agree and got up, still staring, thinking of final words.

"Guess...guess you didn't really have to study. For newts, I mean." he said. He turned, looking up at the stone ceiling.

"L-life isn't al-ll be-er and skittles.." he heard croak from behind him. He turned, slowly, thinking it wasn't true, but it was. A small smile began to spread on Hermione's lips as she blinked slowly. Even Madam Pomfrey coulden't believe her eyes. She was still alive.

"Oh my God! I'll alert them!" Madam Pomfrey said, astounded. Hermione almost looked like she was going to attempt sitting up, but Draco gently pushed her back down.

"Don't try to get up, you're too weak." he said softly, tears running down his face. Hermione began to cough, and turning, she retched a bunch of water into the pail. Draco grimaced, wiping her face. Draco was so glad to see her brown eyes light up again, full of life and wonder. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hagrid, Dumbledore and McGongall came bursting through the doors.

"Miss Granger, you're alive!" McGongall exclaimed.

"Oh, Hermione!" Ginny cried form inbetween them, throwing herself at her. Hermione smiled again, happy to see her friends.

"Yeah...I'm really thirsty.." she saide, trying to clear her bone dry throat. Draco pured her some water, putting a straw in it.

"Great to see you again...back." Ron said happily.

"Good to be back." Draco hugged her tightly and put her in an upright position. "You woulden't believe it...I tried doing the Bubble Head Charm, and I did, but it stopped after I-I hit my head on the lake f-floor." She said tiredly.

"Well, enough hellos, let's get to bed, all of you.." but then Madam Pomfrey saw how much Draco wanted to stay. "Well, I'll let you have a couple minutes." They didn't seem to protest upon leaving the two alone. Draco looked back at her.

"I...I..." Draco tried saying something, anything. "I-This is all my fault...if maybe I...there's so much I have to say...I don't know where to start.." he said, confused.

"Don't worry, Draco. I know. And I love you too." He kissed her on the cheek before gathering his cloak and leaving her to rest.

A/N: YAY! It's epilouge time!


	21. Epilouge

A/N: Some fluff, I guess...

**( Six Months Later)**

This is going to hurt..." Hermione said carefully. They were Hermione's small flat in downtown London and Hermione was stirring something sickly looking and yellow in a pot on the stove. "I've worked on it to be completely painless for months now."

I know, but anything for you, love." Draco said, seated at the table. She dipped a paintbrush into it, and Draco held out hid arm, showing the Dark Mark.

"You know, there'll always be a scar." she said carefully again. Draco nodded.

"There'll always be a scar..." he repeated quietly."It'll only show what I had to go through to be with you." Hermione took the paintbrush and started to cover the Dark Markw ith the solution. Draco winced, but only a little. Hurridly, before the solution had a chance to dry, she wiped it clean with a towel, and the Dark Mark was gone.

"You did it!" Draco said and Hermione stared, mouth wide open. "Do you know how useful this would be?"

"Yes, but also dangerous." she said grimly. "If this got into the wrong hands..."

"True. So why don't we keep it as our little secret, my Potions guinius?" he asked.

Hermione smiled. "And after all this time, you can still make me blush." she gave him a light kiss on the cheek as Harry and Ginny stepped out of the fireplace.

"Gin, Harry!" Hermione hugged them each. "How are you?"

"Great, we came for dinner, but Ron coulden't make it." Hermione frowned, but was still pleased by her visitors.

"Well, this is wonderful. Draco, please go call for come Chinese." he made a face before walking over to the phone. Harry looked over her shoulder.

"If that's what you were planning we eat, maybe we'll come back later." Harry laughed, pointing to the cauldron, but Ginny just stepped on his foot. Hermione blushed, putting on glaves and sloppily spooning the solution into the large vials.

"Hah, nothing, it's just..some...erm.."

"Dark Mark Remover." Draco said, leaning on the doorway. Harry and Ginny looked curiously as Draco raised his arm, showing nothing, not even a blemish.

"Brilliant, Hermione." Harry said, awestruck. Then, a delievery man came bursting out ofthe fireplace.

"Draco?" the short teenage boy with brown hair and green eyes came out, holding several bags, looked around the room. Draco held up his hand and took the bag, giving him the normal amount of money and watching him leave.

"Aright, time to eat!" Hermione said and tell all gathered around the table, seated for four people, on the other side of the living room. Being who they are, Harry and Draco dug in immediately, their girls watching them with disgusted expressions.

"This...stuff...is...good.." Draco said, eating what looked like grilled beef and green peppers out of a sweet gravy.

"No idea what the bloody hell it is though." Harry said.

"No swearing at the dinner table, Harry! Have table manners!" Ginn scolded.

Draco began to snicker. "Whi-chew, whi-chew!" Draco said, making a whipping motion with his hand and Harry scowled, looking away.

"So how does it feel to not be a Death Eater?" Hermione asked. Draco took a deep breath.

"Refreshing, really." he said.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Thanks for the dinner, goodbye!" Ginny said before Harry and her dissapeared from sight. Hermione waved, then collasped on the couch,w ith Draco next to her.

"You handled that very well.." Draco said quietly, kissing her softly. "Seriosuly, though, Hermione, how could I actually repay you?

"A simple "Marry me." will suffice." the words were out of her mouth before she could stop. "Oh, I mean-"

"Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?" he asked softly in her ear before she could start stuttering again.

"Hm. You had me at "Granger." she said, and with that, kissed him again. He took her hand they went down the hall into their room.

"So, what about children?"

"CHILDREN?!"

A/N: And there you have it, my friends, the end of The Fine Line. Hope you all enjoyed my fic that I worked hella hard on, and I also hop you will check out other works to come. Love ya guys!


	22. 100th Review Celebration!

A/N: Hehe, something I came up with when I was bored. I finally reached my goal, 100 reviews, and this is my celebration: one last crappy chapter. Hermione and Draco discuss my favortie and least favorite things and chapters of my story.

One day, Hermione and Draco went on a computer belonging to Hedwig199. They were quite bored and Janet, the author, was out with her friends, so they wanted to check up on the story, The Fine Line for her.

"Ooh, ooh, Draco, look!" she said as she pointed to the Stats page, next to The Fine Line. "We've gotten 100 reviews!" Draco seemed taken aback.

"Really? Wow. What do you think was the thing that got them?" he asked, still shocked.

"I think it was that Christmas chapter," Hermione said darkly. "You know, when you hit me..." Draco frowned.

"I told you I was sorry." he said quickly. "I was mad, and I-"

"I was joking, you fool!" Hermione laughed, and Draco blushed, scowling.

"I think it was the chapter where yours truly showed the fanfiction world that I put the moves on you." he said smugly.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know, the same Christmas chapter, the one where everyone figured out that I used my powerful skills of persuasion to get you to have s-"

" Draco, not now! I thought it was the chapter where, erm..." Hermione went through all the chapter, skimming the titles. "The one where you fell off of your broom."

"Yeah_, that_ was a crowd pleaser," Draco rolled his eyes. "Anyways, did you see all those girls who reviewed, sobbing over my near dea-" Draco couldent get the sentance out, for Hermione had elbowed him in the stomach.

"Anyways, I thought I cried a bit too much," Hermione admitted, biting her lip and muttering to herself about emotiuon control while Draco was doubled over and whimpering in pain. "And you were a bit of a...what do you call it...a Cinder-Fella." Draco was up and alert, glaring at her through narrowed eyes again.

"Cinder-what?" he asked, appalled by this accusation.

"Let's see." Hermione went to looking for the definition. "Here we are. _'A woman who acts like a man, or a man with unusually feminine tendencies.' _it says." Draco gaped at the computer, then back to a giggling Hermione.

"Well, you were a Mary Sue!" he exclaimed. Hermione gasped, hurt.

"I was not!" Hermione said indignantly.

"Right," Draco said. Hermione huffed and turned from him, arms crossed. Draco did the same, except he glanced back at her every once so often.

"You know," he said with a small smile. "When you were battling and dueling..that was brave," Hermione coundent help but to grin.

"I guess I could've just Stunned your Dad instead of tackling him," Hermione said sheepishly.

"I thought it was brilliant." Draco said truthfully. Hermione turned towards him.

"But, then again, cheating on Ron was a pretty horrible mistake," she said thoughtfully. Draco scowled again and looked away.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow when Draco realized she was kidding.

"Honestly, I felt pretty horrible putting you in that situation." he admitted.

"You know.." she suggested slowly. "It would be nice to, you know, read over our story of how we came to be together." Draco shrugged as Hermione clicked on The Fine Line link. They began to read.

"Hm, I remember our seventh ye-MERLIN'S KNICKERS!" she screamed, slapping a hand over her mouth.

"WHAT?!" Draco shouted, pulling out his wand and whipping his head around the room. She pointed fearfully at the computer.

"THIS STORY IS BLOODY RIDDLED WITH TYPOS!"

A/N: Hehe, you liked that, huh? I did! Anyways, Im so fucking greatful for all of your reviews, and this is my little way of saying thanks for it, and I had a great time with this. Like I said, I love the reviews, I'm just so happy right now, and if I could continue the story at this point, I would. I just miss writing it so much, it sucks. And most of all, I am so happy for my hundreth reviewer, The Darkside Incarnate! THANKS A TON! And to the rest who contributed to the 100 reviews I have at this point.

A sequel? Maybe one day, if I feel up to it, another plot might be in order. But at this point, it's not likely. Sorry, but there will always be other fanfics I'm writing, constantly. My heart goes out to you guys, I mean it. This is just the beginning, my friends!


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